The Transformation

UV 746/10,000 The Transformation “Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water and the water became sweet. There the Lord made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them.” Exodus 15 v 25 Moses had led Israel from the Red Sea into the Desert of Shur. For three days they had travelled without finding water to drink. Finally, when they did find water at Marah, they found the water too hard and bitter to drink. Moses was under pressure from the people to give them good water to drink. They had seen mighty wonders and miracles. They had experienced amazing deliverance from death at the hands of the Egyptian army but they despaired that they did not have water to drink. God had formed the nation from the loins of Abraham. But, He was more keen to transform the nation. Moses cried out to the Lord, His only source of help in any crisis. The Lord answered his cry and showed him a piece of wood. When Moses threw it into the water, it became sweet. When we cry out to the Lord, He will show us something in our proximate environment or surroundings as a solution. Moses' faith moved him to action- to take the piece of wood and throw it into the waters of Marah. Similarly, our faith should move us to action in respect of the solution the Lord has shown us. The waters of Marah is itself a metaphor for life. There is much sadness, bitterness, disappointment and other challenges in each of our lives. The Word offers a solution for every problem in the world or in our own little universe. Our problems will get solved in time or dissolved over time. The piece of wood that Moses threw into the waters of Marah is a metaphor for the Word of God. It was immersed in the water and the bitter water was transformed into sweet water. When we immerse ourselves into the Word, our bitter memories, the hard feelings, the negative thoughts and fears will be transformed into positive ones. Our bitter disappointment will be turned into fulfilment. Our lives will be transformed from vain and futile experience into a meaningful, powerful and joyful experience of God. M.K. Gandhi wrote the book, “ My Experiments with Truth”. One cannot experiment with the truth, one can only experience it. It is much larger and deeper than us. We cannot hold it, bend it, break or cut it. It can do all that to us. Truth has a transforming effect on our lives. It works from the inside of us, from deep within. Our wooden hearts would be softened to respond to the touch and move of the Holy Spirit. The people of Israel had a taste of the power and grace of God. Having had a taste of the power of God, they were now ready for a test of their faith. God had formed us in our mothers’ wombs but He is more keen to transform us. This is the pattern I see in my walk of faith. Whenever I had experienced a miracle of God’s power, my faith had expanded and been strengthened. It was then tested and tried in another trial of faith. Much like the central figure in a video game, we move to the next level to encounter another obstacle or threat. Depending on the dexterity of our faith, we will move to the next level or if we make one false move we fail and try again. This is similar to the path to spiritual maturity that the Lord walks His children on. The difference is that the Lord is with us and He guides and shepherds us step by step. At several points in the spiritual journey we undertake, He literally carries us like a shepherd would carry a hurt sheep on his own shoulders. Prateep V Philip