Bitter Waters

A restless people, days into their wilderness journey
already finding fault, bickering, forgetting their saving
bitter waters, in their desert times, in the land
setting out they found bitter waters
sweetened by a piece of wood, a tree
an instrument of God’s will

So are we, restless, longing
wandering, following another shepherd
looking for the promised land, finding bitter waters
sweetened too by the hand of God, his saving grace for us
we seek that far off land, impatient, impulsive, wanting now
Like them, we should trust, in the God of creation, for salvation

July 23, 2008
Exodus 15:23