Fresh Bread July 10: Choose to be a Sweetener!

Moses led Israel…to the Wilderness… They traveled for three days through the wilderness without finding any water. They got to Marah, but they couldn’t drink the water at Marah; it was bitter. That’s why they called the place Marah (Bitter). And the people complained to Moses, “So what are we supposed to drink?” So Moses cried out in prayer to GOD. GOD pointed him to a stick of wood. Moses threw it into the water and the water turned sweet. …GOD said, “If you listen, listen obediently to how GOD tells you to live in his presence…I won’t strike you with all the diseases that I inflicted on the Egyptians; I am GOD your healer.” (Exodus 15:22-26, Message Bible)

During these hot days of summer, my mind often turns to a desire for two refreshing drinks: one is called “Iced Tea” (Sweet Tea to those of you from the South) and the other is a Caribbean Drink called “Mauby”. What I noticed about both drinks is that though they are refreshing during particularly hot, uncomfortable days, they both are also very bitter in taste. That’s why both sweet tea and mauby have sweeteners such as sugar, cinnamon, etc., which make their bitterness both palatable and pleasant.

Life can deal some “bitter” blows both to us and those with whom we come in contact. God desires that we be the wood (tree: Psalms 1:3, NLV) that He can throw into bitter experiences. He wants to use us to change the bitterness of life into the sweet healing waters of His Presence, so that others can “taste and see that the Lord really is good.” (Psalms 34:8, NLV)

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, though life at times will be extremely bitter, use me to be one of God’s sweeteners in the lives of hurting people for the sake of His Kingdom. Amen!