An important part of meditation is "visualization". Form a mental image of the people, standing at the bitter water, which they have spit out, grumbling to Moses.
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 for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them. Ex 15:24-25
Now picture Moses directing his people, to the tree he was shown, to throw it in the water. They push on it, back and forth until the roots begin to lift and dirt falls from the roots. The tree drops, with a thunderous thud, dust flies from the place it landed.
They drag it to the water. Can you see the lines in the sand from the roots as they are pulled to the shore? As it falls in, it slaps the water with a crack. Circular ripples emanate from the tree on the water’s surface. As they do, the water sweetens. The people, cautious at first, begin to fall into the water, as did the tree, drinking from its clear sweetness.
Ponder what this illustrates for the Christian. You have a situation, which is bitter. Your response: grumbling. You grumble to God, to others, to yourself. Rather, look to the tree. Apply the cross to the bitterness. It becomes sweet. It has value.
Next, the value of the trial (bitter situation).
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