The Desert Experience: Bitter Water

A hard, dry desert, no water – ever increasing thirst … and then … a well! God has provided! Followed by … crushing disappointment – bitter water.

They saw God’s power in action – the ten plagues destroying the Egyptian gods, the parting of the sea, the destruction of the avenging Egyptian army – they danced and sang praises on the shore after crossing – and then came the first test.

After all those miracles, did the Israelites cling to God, pray, believe in His all-sustaining power that had brought them out of the bondage of Egypt? Nope. Immediately they turned to complaint, anger, defiance.

Again and again God provided for the Israelites and every time they hit an obstacle they would lose faith and dissolve into unbelief and fear.

Before we judge them, do we not do the same? In our walk in our personal desert, do we not also come to points when it appears God is going to do something? And then nothing? And our immediate reaction is disappointment and our faith gets wobbly.

God will always provide fresh water but on His schedule. We need to keep walking and believing – there will be another well with living water up ahead.