Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.
Exodus 15:25a

Life’s difficult circumstances sometimes turns peace to panic. Our survival may depend on living through complicated medical treatments, making difficult decisions about our children, struggling with financial hardships, caregiving, coping with unhealthy habits... and on and on. But seemingly hopeless situations are the perfect ground for God to show us his glory, as he did continually to Moses and the Israelites.

After their deliverance from the Egyptians at the Red Sea, they walked in the desert for three days with no water only to find a pool of bitter and undrinkable water. The words grumble, murmur, complain are used in different versions of scripture, but surely another synonym could have been f​ear and​ ​panic. Three days without water was a crisis. (Exodus 15:24.)

The angry multitudes of 600,000 men p​lus​ women and children (Exodus 12:37) not only prompted Moses to pray but he c​ried out ​to​the Lord!​ God showed him a piece of wood and instructed him to throw it into the bitter water. Moses threw the wood into the water, and once again, experienced a miracle before his eyes when the desperate situation changed and the water became sweet. (Exodus 12:37, Exodus 15:25)

What is your bitter situation today? What provision do you need for God to help you attain safety and peace? Sometimes God’s instructions are simple, personal, whisper-like guidances. If we live under his alignment, we hear from him often and can experience strength to cope during the difficulty.

The final verse in Exodus 15 lovingly shows God’s abundant blessings when Moses and the people eventually found a place to camp in Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. (Exodus 15:27)

Father, thank you for this story and the many others in your Word which teach us about your power, glory and love.

Jill Hendrix