Bitter Waters

"Bitter Waters"By A. Lamar Torrence

Cross of Life Lutheran Church

Exodus 15:1-25

This week, many of us along with the British Empire, took interest in the celebration of the twenty-first birthday of Prince William of England marking a milestone in his journey towards the royal throne as future king. It was noted that at the very young age of eight, when Prince William and his younger brother Harry were on a picnic with their mother Diana, prince William said to his mother, “Mom, when I grow up I want to be a policeman, so that I can always protect you.” His mother Diana smiled and before she could response, William’s younger brother said objectively, “ You can’t. You must be the next king of England.” Little Harry knew, what Princess Diana already knew and that was that there could only be one logical destiny for William. He must inherit the royal throne and become the king of England. Whatever the cost: the divorce of his parents, the tragic death of his mother, the scandals and the scrutiny. In spite of it all, Prince William must be king? And someone here, this morning needs to know that like there is only one possible destiny planned for little Prince William, God has only one possible destiny carved out for you. As his child, his son, his daughter, you too have a throne to inherit. You too have a crown to wear. You too have a robe of glory to adorn. You must inherit the throne. You must take your rightful place as a joint heir with the son. No matter what the cost- the disappointment, the dissatisfaction, the strife, and the pain- nothing will keep you from obtaining that destiny. When god has something for you. It is for you. You don’t have to worry. You don’t have to fret. You don’t have to cuss or fuss. It’s yours. It’s waiting on you. Your path has been fixed. Your steps have been ordered. There is no river wide enough to keep you from reaching it. No mountain high enough to keep you from moving it. No valley low enough that can keep you from raising it. God’s destiny for you is assured. You must be king my son. You must be queen- my daughter. Your destiny is guaranteed.

That is what Moses was trying to teach the Israelites who just got delivered from slavery. He was trying to show them that there the enemy could produce no army, no sea, or any circumstance that would keep them from their chosen destiny in history. What God promised to give them, they would have if only they believed. That is what God was trying to tell Job in his series of rhetorical questions of “where were you?” God was trying to point out to job that he had so order the world that Job’s destiny was already planed. Jesus was trying to show his disciples that in spite of the raging seas and strong winds that made occur in our lives, when God crosses you over to your destiny, nothing on earth or in heaven could hinder the process. What God has for you, is for you.

That’s why we praise him. That’s why we glorify his holy name. We give God praise because praise is what we have been created to do. Our life is fundamentally lived in praise of God and giving him thanks. In fact the very definition of the term, doxology, is a praising or giving of Glory. Doxology is our reason for being and joy is the final outcome of God’s way with us. We respond to goodness of God with our doxology. When God does something good in our lives and for our lives, when we give him praise. We glorify his name. We magnify his name. We praise his holy name. That is what the Israelites did, and that is what God is calling us to do. Listen to the psalmist, o give thanks to the lord for he is good. For his steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east, from the west, from the north, and from the south.

In other words, if God has done anything for you; you should give him some thanks. No matter where you’ve come from and how far you have come, you should give thanks. If he has made a way out of no way, you should give him some thanks. If he has put food on your table, clothes on you back, a roof over your head, you should give God some thanks. Thank him for healing your body. Thank him for keeping you in your right mind. Thank him for keeping the murderers, thieves, and rapists at bay. Thank him for bills that are paid and the bill collectors that don’t call any more. Thank him for helping you walk right, talk right, and live right. If God has done anything in your life, you should at least tell him thanks.