Trying to learn what the Israelites didn't
One of my favorite persons in the Old Testament is Joseph. I love the whole story. His faithfulness to God, God's faithfulness to him. The reunion with his brothers always brings a tear to my eyes. Then as the book of Genesis closes and Joseph dies, he makes his family promise to carry his bones out of Egypt one day.
When Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt after hundreds of years, they do carry Joseph's bones. They also plunder the Egyptians, as God said they would. Less than 100 Israelites went into Egypt seeking food during a famine, and now 100's are leaving a life of slavery.
Now the story really gets interesting to me. They have God in the form of a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night leading them to exactly where He wants them to go. They come to the Red Sea, He miraculously parts it and allows it to return and drown their pursuers! They become hungry as they wander to who knows where and God provides manna each and every day. They grow tired of this manna and want something more substanial so God provides meat by sending quail. Lots of quail. They get thirsty, He provides water, coming from a rock no less.
Instead of being overwhelmingly thankful that God is providing each and every need they could possibly have, what do they do? They grumble and complain. Constantly. Every time Moses turned around they were complaining. He had to have grown tired of these people.
When God takes Moses up on the mountain and gives him very specific instructions on building the Tabernacle and writes the Law on stone tablets, the people grow weary of waiting and demand Aaron to do something. Instead of leading them to trust in God and wait for Moses to return, Aaron collects their gold and fashions a molten calf. How sad. Now the people are worshipping a graven image instead of the faithful God that has provided for them and protected them on this journey.
It is so easy for me, and all of us, to shake our heads in wonder at the shallow faith of the children of Israel. But if we are honest with ourselves, we are just like them, to a degree. I know I complain when I don't have what I think I need or want. I often find myself wanting things to be different, better than they are now. When all the while God IS being faithful to me. His Spirit is still living in me. He still provides for my needs, and very often my wants. He is still leading me and guiding my footsteps. Circumstances may not be what I would want, but He does know best.
The key is to learn to be content with where He has me today. Today! I don't know what tomorrow holds. He does! I may want things to be different today, but He has something I need to learn and experience today. I heard a song the other day that made me think about this waiting on Him. It is a song from the movie "Fireproof." The words of the song say that while I am waiting on Him I'm going to worship and praise and serve Him. If I just sit around waiting I am going to miss what He has for me now. Not to mention the fact that sitting around doing nothing does not exactly glorify Him.
When Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt after hundreds of years, they do carry Joseph's bones. They also plunder the Egyptians, as God said they would. Less than 100 Israelites went into Egypt seeking food during a famine, and now 100's are leaving a life of slavery.
Now the story really gets interesting to me. They have God in the form of a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night leading them to exactly where He wants them to go. They come to the Red Sea, He miraculously parts it and allows it to return and drown their pursuers! They become hungry as they wander to who knows where and God provides manna each and every day. They grow tired of this manna and want something more substanial so God provides meat by sending quail. Lots of quail. They get thirsty, He provides water, coming from a rock no less.
Instead of being overwhelmingly thankful that God is providing each and every need they could possibly have, what do they do? They grumble and complain. Constantly. Every time Moses turned around they were complaining. He had to have grown tired of these people.
When God takes Moses up on the mountain and gives him very specific instructions on building the Tabernacle and writes the Law on stone tablets, the people grow weary of waiting and demand Aaron to do something. Instead of leading them to trust in God and wait for Moses to return, Aaron collects their gold and fashions a molten calf. How sad. Now the people are worshipping a graven image instead of the faithful God that has provided for them and protected them on this journey.
It is so easy for me, and all of us, to shake our heads in wonder at the shallow faith of the children of Israel. But if we are honest with ourselves, we are just like them, to a degree. I know I complain when I don't have what I think I need or want. I often find myself wanting things to be different, better than they are now. When all the while God IS being faithful to me. His Spirit is still living in me. He still provides for my needs, and very often my wants. He is still leading me and guiding my footsteps. Circumstances may not be what I would want, but He does know best.
The key is to learn to be content with where He has me today. Today! I don't know what tomorrow holds. He does! I may want things to be different today, but He has something I need to learn and experience today. I heard a song the other day that made me think about this waiting on Him. It is a song from the movie "Fireproof." The words of the song say that while I am waiting on Him I'm going to worship and praise and serve Him. If I just sit around waiting I am going to miss what He has for me now. Not to mention the fact that sitting around doing nothing does not exactly glorify Him.
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