April 29, 2020
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, I greet and bless everyone in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blessed word that God has given for you today is from the book of Exodus 15:23,25 “And when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters, of Marah. for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Marah.” So He cried unto the Lord. And the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet.”
From the above context we learn that Moses was leading the people of Israel to the Promised land. He led them through the desert hoping they would reach a prosperous land flowing with milk and honey, and that his people would enjoy a bright future. The people were moving with much expectation. But suddenly they became thirsty. They couldn’t find water anywhere and just like the waters of Mara, their hearts became bitter.
Even in your life you would have experienced bitterness. You might be saying, I chose the best college for my son/daughter, thinking it would be good for them. But they seem to face bitter experience in the college, and so you are worried over them. You would have secured a good job for your son, with many recommendations, but your son is not happy working there. And after referring, and scrutinizing many proposals, you got your daughter, married thinking that she will live a happy married life, but she is very unhappy. Or you might be saying I started this ministry with much prayer and effort, but it is not favourable, as I expected.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, God has seen your tears which you have shed all these years of your life, because of your affliction. Your cry has reached out to God in heaven. While the Israelites were in the dessert and were full of thirst, they found only bitter water to drink. So Moses lifted up his heart and cried out to God, to save his people from thirst and to perform a miracle for them. The Lord heard his cry and showed him a tree. He him to cut the branch of the tree and throw it into the water. And as soon as it was thrown into the water it sweetened. The people drank water from it and quenched their thirst.
What was important is not about the branch or twig of the tree, that made the water sweet, but the power of God’s word that performed the miracle and caused the bitter water to taste sweet. Anyone who absorbs the words of God, and abides by it daily in his life will receive heavenly blessings from God. And he whose life was bitter and felt useless until then will become useful, and will be a blessing to others. God Bless you.
Prayer: Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day. Lord thank you for performing a miracle in the desert for the people of Israel. You turned the bitter water into sweet water and quenched their thirst. Similarly change the bitterness of our life and make it sweet, and help us to be a blessing to others.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
