Yesterday I was given the opportunity to deliver the message at Jericho Road Christian Fellowship. The text the LORD placed on my heart was Exodus 15 which begins with the song of Moses celebrating God's power and deliverance from the pursuing Egyptian army. Three days after God brought the people through the Red Sea, however, they complained because they did not find fresh water. One might imagine a series of obvious miracles and the physical presence of God before the eyes would endow people with unshakable faith and resolve, but this passage shows otherwise. Bitter water brought out the bitterness in people towards Moses and ultimately God.
God graciously healed the waters of Marah, a picture of what He delighted to do within them. They had been oppressed in Egypt for 400 years as slaves, and there was a lot of bitterness, resentment, and hurts. God made a covenant with the people and said, "I am the God who heals you." When people think about miraculous healing it is likely physical healing like Jesus or His disciples performed. But that is not the only kind of healing God does: He can heal us body, mind, and soul. He delivers us from the poison of lust and greed, of bitterness and unbelief. A withered hand is not much use for picking up objects, yet a hard heart or seared conscience has far worse long-term spiritual implications.
I am convinced God does not heal us for our convenience but out of His goodness and grace. The mighty works Jesus and disciples did were similar to what God did in miraculously delivering the Hebrews out of Egypt: to confirm the truth of the Gospel and covenant God makes with those who trust in Him. Consider what Jesus said and did after the death of Lazarus. After Jesus came to the grave of Lazarus, John 11:39-45 reads, "Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days." 4 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go." 45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him." It seems Lazarus was not resurrected for Lazarus' own sake, but so people could see the glory of God, believe on Jesus, and be saved.
I am blessed God has provided Exodus 15, but we do not need this passage to know beyond a doubt God's people can be bitter (sharp, angry, hurt or resentful) because the capacity and tendency is in all of us. We have thought of the glory God would receive from miraculously healing a person physically, but isn't He also glorified when we ask to be healed from our bitterness? Being bitter is not a personality trait but is a sin to be repented of because God has placed within believers the Living Water of the Holy Spirit who brings new life, refreshment, and comfort. Just like the bitterness of the water was exposed when people tasted and refused to drink it, bitterness in us is distasteful to others and especially the God who knows our hearts.
Praise the LORD He is the one who offers to heal us of bitterness, filling our hearts instead with gratefulness and thanksgiving to God. Through us He dispenses the fragrance and flavour of grace to the world that He might be glorified.
God graciously healed the waters of Marah, a picture of what He delighted to do within them. They had been oppressed in Egypt for 400 years as slaves, and there was a lot of bitterness, resentment, and hurts. God made a covenant with the people and said, "I am the God who heals you." When people think about miraculous healing it is likely physical healing like Jesus or His disciples performed. But that is not the only kind of healing God does: He can heal us body, mind, and soul. He delivers us from the poison of lust and greed, of bitterness and unbelief. A withered hand is not much use for picking up objects, yet a hard heart or seared conscience has far worse long-term spiritual implications.
I am convinced God does not heal us for our convenience but out of His goodness and grace. The mighty works Jesus and disciples did were similar to what God did in miraculously delivering the Hebrews out of Egypt: to confirm the truth of the Gospel and covenant God makes with those who trust in Him. Consider what Jesus said and did after the death of Lazarus. After Jesus came to the grave of Lazarus, John 11:39-45 reads, "Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days." 4 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go." 45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him." It seems Lazarus was not resurrected for Lazarus' own sake, but so people could see the glory of God, believe on Jesus, and be saved.
I am blessed God has provided Exodus 15, but we do not need this passage to know beyond a doubt God's people can be bitter (sharp, angry, hurt or resentful) because the capacity and tendency is in all of us. We have thought of the glory God would receive from miraculously healing a person physically, but isn't He also glorified when we ask to be healed from our bitterness? Being bitter is not a personality trait but is a sin to be repented of because God has placed within believers the Living Water of the Holy Spirit who brings new life, refreshment, and comfort. Just like the bitterness of the water was exposed when people tasted and refused to drink it, bitterness in us is distasteful to others and especially the God who knows our hearts.
Praise the LORD He is the one who offers to heal us of bitterness, filling our hearts instead with gratefulness and thanksgiving to God. Through us He dispenses the fragrance and flavour of grace to the world that He might be glorified.
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