Being Grateful in the Desert
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, I have heard the grumblings of the sons of Israel; speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God. So it came about in the evening that the quails came up and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew evaporated, behold, on the surface of the wilderness there was a fine flake-like thing, fine as the frost on the ground. Exodus 16:11-14
During Wednesday night’s chapel service at camp, the children, adults, and I explored the time the Israelites began to grumble against Moses and Aaron for leading them to such a desolate place where they found themselves hungry. The sad truth is that when you read Chapter Sixteen in context, you will see that in essence they were grumbling against God who had not ceased to provide for them since they left Egypt. As a matter of fact, they say they wished they were back in Egypt where they had pots of meat and bread to eat.
Grumbling individually and among the Body of Christ is a deadly thing! It never leads to anything good and productive in the Kingdom of God. And yet God was and is merciful! He knew Moses’ heart and He fed the people a healthy breakfast and supper every day! Oh! To be thankful for God’s provision! Did you notice in today’s Scripture that “on the surface of the wilderness” the manna appeared?
Heavenly Father, forgive our grumbling, and may our mouths turn instead to praise and thanksgiving! Yes, may we praise You, even in the midst of the desert!
In Jesus, the Bread of Heaven’s Name! (See John 6)
Pastor Louie