“Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So, the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp.” Numbers 11:1
In this passage we are reminded of what the Lord thinks about complaining. In 1 Corinthians 10 Paul tells us that the complaining of Israel in the wilderness is to be an example to us, a warning not to give in to the sinful desire to complain.
Israel had just been delivered from bondage in Egypt by God, miraculously brought through the Red Sea, routed the most powerful army on the planet, they had already been miraculously provided food and water by God, and made covenant with Him at Sinai. We think to ourselves how could they complain?!
But that is what complaining does. It causes us to be numb to and forget the great blessings of God so that all we see is whatever it is we are complaining about. Are we any better than they were? Have we complained about our situation, our life, our job, our family, our finances, etc. this week? We are exponentially more blessed than the Israelites in the desert and we still find things to complain about?!
The remedy for complaining is thankfulness. I Thessalonians 5:18 tells us that it is the will of God that we be thankful for everything. Think about, meditate on, count the many blessings that God has showered upon you and give thanks. One of the OT offerings was called a thank offering. Let us daily bring our New Covenant thank offerings to the Lord in the form of prayers to Him, thanking Him for His love for us manifest in so many ways. Jesus has secured our salvation, forgiven us our sins, even our sufferings God uses for our benefit, and we possess eternal life. Christians have incredible reasons to live their lives in constant thankfulness.
Let us then, not be like Israel in the desert. Learn from their example and focus our attention on things we are to be thankful for each day.
His mercy endures forever!
Pastor Flynn
Photo by guille pozzi