The children of Israel were unable to find water to quench their thirst on their journey through the desert.  The water they finally found in Marah was bitter.  So, as they were prone to do, they “turned against Moses” (verse 24).   His response was to cry out to the Lord and he was led to a branch.  The Lord then instructed Moses to throw the branch into the bitter water.  The water became consumable refreshment.

Too often we have viewed the circumstances of our lives as bitter and unusable.  God knows that we are prone to dissatisfaction and need His touch.  He’s aware that we want what we want when we want it, and in our self-centeredness, we miss the actions He’s performing around us, and for us, everyday.  But we can choose to participate in our change, to recognize Him, seek Him and obey Him.

God has the power to change our bitter experiences into sweet memories.  We may fret, recall prior trials or have deep regret because of any number of situations we’ve faced, but God can transform our caustic, unpleasant past and current circumstances into agents of praise.

The miracle was not in the branch.  The branch had no power.  If we think of the branch as merely a tool of obedience, we’d gain some enlightenment about our own situations.  God used the branch to facilitate change.  He can use our trials in a way that will benefit us.

Moses chose to seek God for the answer to his problem, then he obediently followed the directions he was given.  We are in the best position to be blessed when we yield and do the same. 

Our trials may be bitter, but God wants them anyway.  No need is too small, no issue is too complicated.  He has a response.  And the result is sweet.