Wisdom Wednesdays - Bitter or Sweet

I've been meditating on the sweetness of my life lately.  I can't remember when I've had such a long stretch of rest and peace.  This is a contrast because most of my life was filled with unrest and troubles.  I can remember always being the one who needed prayer for some problem or another.  I'm grateful for those times, though, because I learned great lessons while going through them.  Because of that, I can relate to people who are going through hard things.

This passage from the Torah taught me some good lessons about hard times this week:

²² Moshe led Isra’el onward from the Sea of Suf. They went out into the Shur Desert; but after traveling three days in the desert, they had found no water.   

²³ They arrived at Marah but couldn’t drink the water there, because it was bitter. This is why they called it Marah [bitterness]. 

²⁴ The people grumbled against Moshe and asked, “What are we to drink?”  

²⁵ Moshe cried to Adonai; and Adonai showed him a certain piece of wood, which, when he threw it into the water, made the water taste good. There Adonai made laws and rules of life for them, and there he tested them.  

²⁶ He said, “If you will listen intently to the voice of Adonai your G-d, do what He considers right, pay attention to His mitzvot and observe his laws, I will not afflict you with any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians; because I am Adonai your Healer.” (Exodus 15:22-26)

The bitter water speaks of the troubles in our lives.  Everybody has them.  Those troubles come to make us thirsty (needy for G-d).

The wood (from a tree) was thrown into the water, and the water became sweet.  The wood speaks of the Tree of Life (G-d's ways / laws / truths).  When we apply them to our lives, we will be satisfied (sweetness).  

Along with quenching their immediate thirst, ADONAI gave them His Laws, and also a wonderful promise.  He said IF...don't miss that word..."IF you will"

• "listen intently to the voice of ADONAI, your G-d"
• "do what He considers right"
• "pay attention to His mitzvot (rules)"
• "observe His laws"

When hard times come into our lives, we must cling to and obey His Word and listen to His voice intently.  By doing this, we learn more of His love for us, and He teaches us lessons as we go through the challenge.  The bitter waters become sweet, Gail-Friends.

Continuing the passage, we see that when we obey Him in "all" things, He will also give us an another amazing blessing. He will keep us free of diseases, or give us health.  What a wonderful promise, Gail-Friends.  Did you know this?  Have you ever been taught this?

Having grown up in the Christian church, I can testify that I was not taught this.  As a matter of fact, I was taught to ignore "the Law" because Yeshua (Jesus) set believers free of that awful fate.  But, now I know different.  Following His laws makes life sweet, like the finest honey.

Did you know His laws include instructions about our health? There are many of them.  Those laws include:

• food to eat 
• food to avoid 
• cleanliness about food
• how to grow and harvest the food we eat
• how to treat animals 
• how to slaughter animals for food
• rules for personal hygiene
• how to think, because thoughts affect our bodies
• how to speak, because words affect our health

I could go on, but I challenge you to seek out these truths for yourself.  It's a very interesting and enlightening study, and one that will be a blessing to you.  Our loving Heavenly Father left so much to bring us good and to make life sweet. 

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