“And they [the children of Israel] went three days in the wilderness, and found no water…and when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter…and the people murmured against Moses” (Exodus 15:22-24).

The Israelites had just had a wonderful deliverance from Egypt, and from the oppression of Pharaoh. No longer were they slaves in Egypt! They had seen all their enemies destroyed in the Red Sea, and now they were on their way to the land of Canaan. This is a picture to us of our being saved, and how happy we are at first! Perhaps we sing, just as the children of Israel sang earlier in this chapter.

But then, after three days, things began to get difficult. There was no water to drink, and when they did find some water, it was bitter. Was this what the Lord had brought them to? Would He bring them out of Egypt, and then give them only bitter water to drink?

Often we have to find this out in the Christian life. It is a great thing to know our sins forgiven, and to have assurance that we are on our way to heaven. But then we find that the Christian pathway is not always pleasant. We experience the difficulties of the way, and find that there is nothing in the wilderness to quench our spiritual thirst. What is the answer? We will see tomorrow.