The waters of Marah

The Waters of Marah

(Overcoming bitterness) written by Rusty Owens

“When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter, therefore it was named Marah.

So the people grumbled at Moses, saying “What shall we drink?”

Then he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree, and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet, there he made to them a statute and a regulation, and there he tested them.” Exodus 15:23-25

After the children of Israel left the Red Sea they came into the wilderness of Shur. They found no water after a three days journey. Then they came to Marah. There was water but it was to bitter to drink. In the Hebrew text the word marah means bitter. In our own spiritual journey we have a general idea where we are going and what we are looking for. A land flowing with milk and honey. But the road getting there sometimes is not what we expect. Its like we’re standing at point A and we are heading for point D, but we aren’t ready for B and C.

Look at the life of Joseph. At the young age he could see he was destined for great things. God had shown him in visions and dreams that he was destined for greatness. What God didn’t show him was the road that would take him there. He went from being the favorite of his fathers sons, to being sold by his brothers, his own family, to be a slave in Egypt. And if that wasn’t bad enough, to being a prisoner in pharaoh’s dungeon. Only to finally be exalted to second in the kingdom.

As you look at where you are now and where and where you are going, your plan for your life does not include a lot of the pain and suffering you will encounter. Job said “Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.” Job 5:7.

How would you deal with bitter waters when they come uninvited into your life, your home, and your marriage? The church is filled with people overcome with bitterness. They have allowed themselves to become angry and bitter because of circumstances and events that have happened in their lives. Events that you didn’t ask for, circumstances you didn’t ever expect to find yourself in. When bitterness takes root it can become a satanic stronghold in your life. Many people are bitter who would never admit to being bitter. You can be trapped in this without recognizing it. Even ministers and pastors have succumbed to its power. They have ministered out of their bitterness and disappointment effecting their congregations and flocks. Every Sunday all across America and the world the poison of bitter roots is effecting peoples lives. Jesus told his disciples at one point “you do not know what spirit you are of” Luke 9:55. I’ve seen Christians overcome with anger without ever being able to pinpoint the source of that anger. When you become bitter because of the actions of others, any true spiritual growth will cease until it is exposed and dealt with. One person said bitterness must be pulled up by its roots.

The bible says “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” 1 Sam. 15:23. The word rebellion there in the text is the Hebrew word Meriy, which means bitterness. The root word for meriy is marah. Witchcraft or divination should not be looked at as some old crazy woman conjuring up potions or casting spells, but rather as manipulation apart from the Holy Spirit. Many people caught up in meriy end up angry and bitter and constantly functioning outside of the Holy Spirit.

Husbands and wives caught up in meriy, subtly act out their anger toward their mate. They manipulate and vie for power without even realizing what they are doing. Bitterness clouds judgment and destroys any clarity in visions and discernment. The book of Hebrews gives us clear warning “Follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord; Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” Heb. 12:14,15.

Without a doubt every soul under the sun will encounter bitter waters. The question then becomes “how do you drink bitter waters without becoming bitter?”

The Lord Showed Him a Tree

When my wife and I lost our son in a car accident in 2005, we found ourselves in a place we never thought we would be in. Our hearts were crushed. I cannot begin to effectively describe the dark abyss that your soul can experience. Needless to say, the waters were very bitter. I remember telling my wife not to allow herself to become bitter with the woman who had caused the accident. This became a hard test for us. So we prayed specifically for this woman and we prayed against all bitterness. This wasn’t easy. But creeping in unawares, uninvited, resentment set in. I developed resentment toward God. Ultimately I held Him responsible. My prayer life became almost non-existent. Finally in one of my shorter moments I said to the Lord “yea well, you don’t know what it’s LIKE!” I stopped dead in my complaint and realized how stupid that sounded. It was a selah moment. If anybody knew, He did. If anybody could relate, He could. He knew exactly what it felt like and He showed me a tree. The spiritual metaphor we are supposed to see at Marah is the cross. It is the ultimate canceling of all crimes. It is the ultimate sacrifice that can be made. Col. 1:20. God gave His Son! His Son wasn’t taken from Him. He voluntarily gave His Son. And we did unto Him as we would. The mocking and shame He bore for us “and the Lord has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.” Isa 53:6

“For we do not have a high priest who can not sympathize with our weakness, but who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” Heb. 4:15. If anybody knows He knows. The power of the cross is amazing. Allow the Holy Spirit to begin to reveal its power to you. This was the first of several simple revelations that began a healing of the waters and making them drinkable. God Himself has offered the ultimate sacrifice. The Lord began immediately to send us comfort and consolation. Multiple times people came to us telling us a word the Lord had given them to give to us. People on the street, in restaurants, people even wrote us letters. Even an Amish woman who also had lost a child wrote us a comforting letter.

As a minister we have a tendency feel the need to always appear to be strong, to always look like we are on top of are game. But this was no longer the case. We were crushed. I would like to say God sent His prophet and spoke one word and healing game gushing in. But this was not the case.

What He did was send many of His servants who prayed with us, cared for us, and spoke many words of comfort. I liken it to a time in David’s life when he was older. II Samuel 21:15. David was still fighting with the philistines. He grew weary in the battle and faint. One of descendants of the giant sought to kill David. But one of David’s friends slew the giant and defended David. It seems like when we have slain giants in our life and ministry, we find ourselves fighting their offspring years later. Like David I too had grown faint and would have surely been overcome by grief, anger, and bitterness, but God’s people surrounded my wife and I and they drew the sword and said to the darkness, “no more.” I literally felt surrounded by praying people. Whatever ministry or fruit I am able to have for the rest of my life those friends are greatly responsible.

Heaven

An interesting phenomenon began to take place. I will simply call it affirmation from heaven. I began very simply, after my son’s funeral. Someone I met on the street who had been a neighbor of mine, Shared with me a dream she had about my son and she wanted to tell me he’s okay. I cannot tell you how this lightened my heart. Then a waitress who went to another church shared with my wife and I that she had seen my son in a dream and that he’d had sat by her bed and had read the bible to her. When he was done he seemed to float out the window. Then my niece said she saw him in a dream and she was standing on a street and she saw Cameron on the other side of the street. She was excited too see him and tried to cross the street, but he smiled and motioned to her that she was not to cross the street. This went on and on for weeks. My sister in-law, my mother in-law, even my wife were having these visitations in the night and excitedly shared that they had seen Cameron. I on the other hand had seen nothing. I became agitated that others had seen him but I had not. I could remember what he looked like, what his voice sounded like, what his hair smelled like, but I wanted to see him also. So once again I made my complaint to the Lord. Everyone else is seeing him, why can’t I? That same day I came home early and became very tired. I lay down on the bed and almost immediately fell to sleep. I dreamt that I was standing by a road and a parade of sorts was passing by. There were many people standing beside the road watching the procession. There were two large figures standing right behind me. One was standing, looking over my right shoulder; the other was standing, looking over my left shoulder. As the parade passed I see Cameron coming down the road. He was wearing his holy blue jeans and a white T-shirt. He had shoulder length hair and he was dancing and twirling. One of the figures behind me spoke and said, “What’s he so happy about?” The other one responded, “Why wouldn’t he be?” My heart lit up just to see him. I awoke immediately. I praised God for letting me see him, even if it was just a dream.

My wife began to read books about heaven. We were surprised that a great deal has been written on the subject. One book stood out above the rest and has brought us a great deal of comfort. It was written at the turn of the century in the late 1800’s. It is called “My dream of heaven.” It is sad that in the church we are more acquainted with the concept of hell than we are with heaven and we are more acquainted with the smell of sulfur than we are with the fragrance of heaven.

The Lord sent us affirmation after affirmation. And with every piece of information, with every visitation, and with every answered prayer, the Lord began to bring piece to our souls. The oil of the Holy Spirit must be applied to the wound itself. The cross maid that available. “Surely he has born our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Isa.53:4