Are you in Mara or in Elim ? (2)

"And they came to Elim, where there were twelve fountains of water and seventy palm trees ; and they pitched there by the waters." Exodus 15. 27

Moses asks the Lord and shouts to Him. And the LORD answers him! Because God always answers our prayers ... Not always as we expected : here, it is a very precise wood that it indicates to Moses. When Moses throws it into the water, it becomes soft.

What is this wood capable of removing our bitterness and bringing out the sweetness in our lives ? For Moses, he was coming, for us he passed. It is sometimes called cursed wood, but in reality, it is blessed ... and it still blesses today! This is of course the wood of the cross, that of Golgotha, where Jesus accepted "the bitterness of sin to spread in our lives the sweetness of forgiveness and reconciliation with God". It was on this cross that he had his hands "open to bless" .... And they stay that way today !

Then in our bitterness, let's go to this wood, put us at his feet, and let him spread his sweetness in the depths of our souls ... That's how in our trials we will be free from the activity of our flesh and that our waters will become sweet ...

"I am Jehovah who heals you," the Lord will say afterwards (verse 26). It is by His Word that He does it, so let's read it ! "He sent his Word and healed them" (Psalm 107: 20). It has been said : "The true remedy for our evils is spiritual, it is in the words of God".

God speaks to them of obedience (verse 26). After this, but also after Mara, comes the blessing of God to Elim (verse 27). Yet only four hours of march separated Mara (who had no name yet) from Elim (who she was named among the oases) : had they rushed to drink water that God had not reserved for them ? Do not we drink water, impatiently, to waters that are not good for us ?

And yet, the purpose of God is always to bless us, in the shade of the 12 water fountains and 70 palm trees! What an abundance !

Then, let us do as the children of Israel, let's camp there, "beside" these pure, refreshing and resting waters of God (verse 27).

Source (Pleasing the Lord)