BITTERNESS MADE SWEET
Mark Buchan
Exodus 15: 23-25 (to “sweet”)
The thought of bitterness here would bring before us that which is unpalatable, that which naturally is not to our taste, not what we would like. Our brother has spoken about what our sister has seen in her lifetime. She has gone through many circumstances which might be described as “bitter”, unpalatable. He has mentioned when she was born, not long before the war; that would not meet natural human tastes. She has had family sorrows, and she has seen sorrows amongst her brethren, things that would cause bitterness. It is not what would naturally be to our taste.
The children of Israel here, having come out of the land of Egypt, come to it that these waters are bitter, not what is to their taste. We find here that the place is already called Marah; Marah means “bitterness”. I do not think this is one of the instances when they name a place, having come to it and having experienced something there, but, having come to it, they found that it was already called “bitterness”. That is the characteristic of bitterness, it infects the place where it is found. Our sister has gone through many things, and I am sure we all go through things that may, if allowed, bring on that spirit. And so we see here the children of Israel murmur against the one who brought them there because he has brought them to a place they are not content with.
It struck me of late, in thinking of our sister, that having gone through many of these things, she was always bright in her spirit. It is something I appreciated much about her, even very close to the end. We find an answer to bitterness here in this passage, an answer that is still applicable to us today; and an answer, I would say, our sister was in the good of.
I do not think bitterness is found only in what is small or large. It is a matter that can arise anywhere. The cause does not have to be something very great; we may naturally become bitter about very small things. But the answer is universal, and it is applicable whatever the situation. And so we see here that Moses has the thought because “he cried to Jehovah; and Jehovah shewed him wood”. There seems to be a very refined thought in this reference to wood. It is not a tree or a bush; it is wood. There is refinement there and, if we find ourselves in a condition that we are not happy with, if we find ourselves in a condition that is not to our natural taste, we are to look for a solution. Surely that is naturally the case. Where are we going to find the solution? Do we want to find a solution that has never been tried, or would we rather have a solution that has stood the test of time, a solution that has been proved, a solution that is certain? We are to know a solution that is certain, that is sure, and so, “Jehovah shewed him wood”. There is a refinement there; that is, it is something which is applicable in the situation.
For us, dear friend, it is Christ. The believer knows that the solution to anything bitter was Christ; and more specifically, Christ who has gone through this scene and is therefore the proved solution to everything bitter in it. There is a solution whatever situation we may come up against. There is sorrow here for us to a certain extent today. It is Marah here today; there is sorrow. Naturally, we would not wish to be here. But there is a solution, dear friend, and our sister was in the gain of it and was an overcomer in it because she had a solution in Christ which had stood the test; the One in whom she could put her faith was One who had been here, had walked the pathway, had seen the tests and had not been overcome by them. And so when Jehovah shewed Moses wood here, it is something refined, something that has gone through the test, we may say; it has been proved applicable for the situation. When someone is in the good of that, that will be the secret of their brightness. It is not just a stoical spirit; it is that the bitterness has been turned to sweetness. It is not just that the bitterness has been taken away and what was unpalatable before has become just about drinkable. No, it has become sweet! Circumstances may not have changed. The name of the place is not changed here. It is still Marah; it is still called that; but our appreciation of it has changed entirely. What was once entirely unpalatable is now sweetness; well, that is the Lord, dear friend. Whatever small or large matter has come in which may cause bitterness, there is an answer to it which has seen that test and has not been overcome by it.
Our sister was in the good of that; it is my abiding memory of her: there was brightness there. In the last few weeks there was much that could have embittered our sister. She was not well; she was in weakness; it was not naturally what she would have wanted, not naturally what any of us would want, I am sure; but we have an answer to it. She had her Bible often beside her on her chair and she had a living link with the One who is spoken of there, an abiding answer. In one sense, dear friend - I do not mean to be discouraging - bitterness will be with us to the end, but the answer is there. Whatever we may come across, the answer is there which will entirely change our appreciation of the circumstances. It may not change the circumstances; we are not looking for a change of circumstances exactly; that will be a coming day. A day is coming when the circumstances will be entirely changed, but I think the sweetness is in the anticipation of that day, that we can put our hope in the One who in that day will take to be with Himself those who are “asleep through Jesus”, as the scripture tells us, 1 Thess 4:14. So while our sister was weak in her body, she could look on to that, and it could bring about sweetness. What it is to be “asleep through Jesus”! Those who are asleep will rise.
Dear friends, I just say these things to encourage us. As I say, it will be an abiding memory that although there was much there that could have caused bitterness, could have cast down , there was something there which could cause sweetness, could make that which is unpalatable palatable. It is available to us all. Our sister, I am sure, if she were here today, would commend it to us all. Well, I do, likewise, commend it to us all for His Name’s sake.
Peterhead
26th April 2019
(At the meeting for the burial of Mrs E Turner)