Scripture Passage for Today
Scripture Focus
“Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the LORD heard everything they said.” (Numbers 11: 1 NLT)
Observation
It’s been about a year (commentaries suggest) since Israel first camped at Mt Sinai. Apparently, the manna first supplied in Exodus 16 has continued daily, but the meat supplied there has not. Now, in Numbers 10 (yesterday’s reading), Israel has actually broken camp and begun their journey towards Canaan. And they are apparently hardly on the road before the complaints begin to mount!
(Parents take note: You’re not the first to have to deal with grumbling from the back seat!)
The complaints come from the people themselves, from the “foreign rabble”, and eventually from Moses himself! “What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people?” (11:11). Miriam and Aaron also complain, and—in chapter 13—when spies enter the land God promised and find it bountiful just as God promised—10 out of 12 of those “men of faith” complain, as well! (As a bit of an aside, I love how idealized the days in Egypt have become. "C'mon people, you were slaves!")
So I’m wondering how much of the complaining was “stirred up” by the change? Why is it that we (I include myself) resist change so? Why is it that we all want something different (okay—maybe we all don’t, but those of us with sense do! We want something better!) …We all want something different, but when the journey from what we have to what we long for gets underway, my, but don’t we get dicey!
“Help me, Lord, to navigate change purposefully and patiently. To bring my apprehension to you, and to trust your leadership in my life. To let you lead me from where I am to where I want to be (to where you want me to be) without balking at every inconvenience and biting at every alteration.”
4 comments:
Its not different than todays world that there is always someone bickering about something and not appreciating what they have. I know I have been in that category. I look at it now and thank the Lord for what He has provided me and what he will keep providing. It is hard to accept change but if I was still stubborn as I was I would not be here right now writing this and getting to read Gods word everyday! Thank you Lord for being patient with me and never giving up on me to change!
it says in chapter 11 that the Lord was angry when the people complained. Sooooo angry that hesent fire to burn among them and it consumed some of the outside of camp. Still when the strangers who traveld among them back slid and ate meat. The people started griping Again. Not because they were hungry, but because they didn't like the menu.(Which was provided because they asked for it anyway. Ex 16:3 ) Even while the sight of Fire burning them up was still fresh in their minds they wanted to complain abut no meat. What's next? No TV trays to eat off of???? In the middle of this was their underlying complaint of not being back in Egypt. Hmmmmm!
Does all this lead to the underlying condition of human nature to go against the truth? To go against things that they should know will do them some good, yet, they still want to stay in that same comfortable place where they were at before because it is 'familiar' to them? We are ALL guilty of this.
I believe God wants so much more for His people to the point He will pursue them even in their 'stiff-necked' position. Imagine what He could do through a people who are tender to His ways and willing to see and hear Him.
Anonymous, The best thing about it is Some of us choose to be For the lord. Just like the levites did and the Nazarites did. Just like Moses, Abraham, John the Babtist, Peter, and many more. Yes Human Nature causes us to turn away, but Gods nature keeps us in his hands. The bible says, Whom the father holds in his hands No man may pluck away.
Post a Comment