Numbers 21:5 "... they spoke against God and against Moses, and said "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"
I'd like to take the time someday to re-read the account of the Israelites and count the number of times they say something like "Why did you bring us out of Egypt so that we can die?" Their discontented, unbelieving, ungrateful, quick to complain, whiny spirits get really annoying and I find myself wondering why God didn't just give up on them. And then... I realize that I am just as capable of grumbling my own discontented, unbelieving, ungrateful complaints. Maybe I don't address my whining TO God overtly - maybe I try to convince myself that I'm not like the Israelites because I just grumble to myself without directing blame towards anyone.
Reality - if I believe God is sovereign (and I do - I bank on it!) then any signs of discontent or unbelief are directed towards God by default. If he knows all, sees all and he alone has the power to do all things then whatever is happening in and around my life is a direct result of HIS hand. If circumstances come my way - or even remain the same for years (as in Israel's case) - it has not taken God by surprise.
So, before I condemn the Israelites for how annoying they seem to me I need to clean up my own act in the trusting God department.
2 chapters later in Numbers 23 - Balaam speaks over the children of Israel these words: "The Lord their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them."
That's where I want to live! With the SHOUT OF THE KING surrounding my life!
No comments:
Post a Comment