We are familiar with the story of Moses leading the people of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. God had chosen Moses for this incredible task and communicated with Moses during this incredibly long journey. During this forty years of traveling from bondage to a land promised to them by God they endured many controversies and hardships. One of their most critical times during this journey was when they had been in the wilderness of Shur and had traveled three days without water. They were suffering from an almost intolerable thirst. How their hearts beat with joy when they came to Marah and saw water! Just as quickly as their hearts become joyful, despair came again because the waters of Marah were too bitter to drink. At this point they were physically weak and mentally distraught. Then Moses showed his greatness as a leader. Moses did not look down; that would have showed despair. He did not merely look around; that would have showed confusion. He was wise enough to look up; which showed confidence and courage. Because of Moses’ confidence in God, God supplied their need in a very critical situation.  Exodus 15:25, “And Moses cried unto the Lord: and the Lord showed him a tree which when he cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet.”

All of us, sooner or later in life, come to Marah where we find bitter waters in the cup of human experience. We need to be like Moses and find the wisdom to look up and cry unto the Lord. What else can we do that would be better in our helplessness as we face life’s mysteries? We may not see at once the sun shining. We may have periods of surprise, loneliness, and emptiness of heart when we reach out vainly for lost possessions or departed loved ones. We may not at first be able to see reconciliation, because we try to understand instead of learning to trust, and so we may be inclined to murmur and complain against the providence of God.We see in this story how the grief of the trustful soul is changed. God still reveals to His people a tree of life which provides comfort and blessing, and life’s bitterest waters are made sweet.

A description of this tree of life.

One branch of this tree is the blessing of human sympathy. There is a degree of difference between divine sympathy and human sympathy.  We often under estimate the degree of human sympathy and declare it cannot reach the heart, but human sympathy is an echo of the divine. Jesus yearned for it in the critical periods of His life, especially when He was alone in Gethsemane. As followers of Christ we are called to be sons of consolation. We are to weep with those who weep, and mourn with those who mourn. It is a comfort to our broken hearts when true friends come with a warm hand-clasp and an arm around our shoulders to show that their hearts go out to us in sorrow. The blessing of human sympathy can change hearts and lives when those hurting are surrounded by loving hearts.

Another branch of this tree is Memory. In some wonderful way God weaves the best things of days gone by into a beautiful memory. This is an important branch in the tree of heavenly consolation. Many sorrows have been chastened by such a glorious vision that lingers in the heart and transfigures the very face of grief. The past has inspirations as well as warnings for God’s people. What an inspiration it is to remember dear friends who have gone out from us, but who meant so much to us during life that their influence and power for good cannot be measured. We have been enriched by knowing them and fellowshipping with them through the years, and their memory abides with us.

Another branch of this tree is Hope. This is the Christian’s golden key by which beautiful memories are turned into dreams of hope. Hope is the anchor of the soul. Hope steadies us in the storms of life. Hope cheers us like the beacon of light from a friendly lighthouse when we are lost in the dark. Hope enables us to see life in the light of the eternal years. When all else is taken from us we praise God for that branch of Hope.

Another branch of this tree is Time. This is indeed a healing ministry, one of the best in the universe. We often see the landscape destroyed by the construction of a new roadway, or by natural disasters, but in time it is restored with grass and flowers and the land is healed.  Just the same the deepest wounds in our hearts are closed by nature’s restorative processes. When a desolating bereavement comes a person may cry out, “I will never laugh again”, but oh yes he will in Time. This is a beautiful assurance of God’s Word: “God will wipe away all tears from your eyes”. It is simply marvelous what Time can do in restoring joy to a heart that seemed to be breaking.

Another branch of this tree is Activity.  Activity has sweetened many experiences embittered by idleness. The worst thing to do in sorrow is to sit and mope over it. It is fortunate at such a time to have much to do.  When we get busy weeding our garden, we will find in doing it we will also extract weeds from our own hearts and minds.  Activity is another means of God’s grace that we should not rob from ourselves. The apostle Paul was afraid of indolent Christians who gave up their daily tasks and waited passively for the Lord’s return. Idleness is the devil’s workshop.

Another branch of this tree is Service. The best way to gain new inspiration is to forget yourself in the service of others. This is the grandest transforming power if life. Our heartaches take on new color when we get busy in ministries of unselfishness.  Just a word of cheer to a lonely heart, or an outstretched hand of helpfulness to a sufferer will serve as a comfort to a feverish pain.

All these branches of the tree of life and heavenly consolation are indeed angels sent by a loving Father to serve us when our hearts are breaking, and to sweeten the bitter waters of Marah in every Christian life.