Exdous chapter15 begins with the Israelites praising God and ends with their grumbling against Him. This pattern was repeated again and again by the Israelites in the wilderness. The “sine wave” (in mathematics) that goes up and down forever, is a perfect description of the lives of most believers praising God when they get what they want, complaining when something goes wrong, thanking God again when they have got over that problem, and then doubting again when the next problem arises. This is because most believers live by sight and not by faith – exactly like the Israelites. On Sunday morning they praise God aloud in their meetings (at times in other tongues). But from Sunday afternoon onwards, their speech is different, this time in their mother tongue. It is anger, grumbling and complaining – both in their homes and their offices!! Then the next Sunday the sine wave goes up and they start praising God again.

After that, the wave goes down again!! This is certainly not how God intended His new-covenant children to live. Cannot the Holy Spirit who gives a person the gift of other tongues control his speech in his mother tongue as well? He certainly can. The Bible says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. In everything give thanks” (Philippians 4:4; Ephesians 5:20).

That is the will of God for us at all times, in the new covenant. But to do that we must live by faith. We must believe that God has already planned a solution for every problem that we ever face.

When the Israelites complained to Moses, he cried to the Lord, and the Lord said, “The solution to the problem is right there – in front of you” (verse 25). The Lord showed him a tree. Moses cut down the tree and put it into the water, and the water was made sweet.

Who planted that tree in the wilderness? Was it some man or God? Undoubtedly God! Men don’t plant trees in the wilderness. God had planted that tree near Marah, perhaps 100 years earlier, because He knew that 100 years later His children would come to Marah and find its waters bitter. So He had actually planned a solution for their problem 100 years in advance. Do you realise that the same God has planned solutions for all your problems also, long before you face those problems?

To walk by faith is to believe that. No problem can suddenly crop up today that takes God by surprise. Not only does God already know in advance what problems the devil is preparing for us, He has also made a solution for all of them, in advance! So you can face every problem boldly.

I can testify to the truth of this, after having faced numerous problems in my 65 years as a believer. I have never yet faced a problem for which God had not planned a solution! He planted seeds for trees, long before I came to the Marahs in my life – to make the waters sweet for me. Let me urge you also to walk by faith in our wonderful, loving Father who is always “silently planning for us in love” (Zephaniah 3:17 - paraphrase) – and you will overcome all your problems constantly. Never again will complaining and grumbling and anger be found in your mouth, but only praise and thanks to God.