That passage sounds familiar...
Illustration
Object:
That passage sounds familiar. "Why can't I find a job?" "Why can't I find a doctor or an insurance company?" "Why can't I find the money I need?" We can translate their complaints in the language of today. We (and God) are always hearing complaints. (From both sides of the aisle? Let's not get too much into politics!) We want to find someone to blame. We want to go just below where the buck stops (God) sometime. They quarreled with Moses in that day. He was in charge, as far as they knew. But in complaining to Moses they are really complaining to God (where the buck stops), who had appointed him.
Sometimes it seems like there is always something to complain about. There is always room for more complaints. When I see the news and remember how many recovered from Haiti's gigantic storm and yet some are still starving and with no home to go to, the complaints go to the US or the UN. The buck stops higher, but they are afraid to say so since it seems that God only wants patience when we don't have any more.
The Israelites had just been rescued from years of slavery in Egypt and brought to safety through the sea that was parted for them. They saw God do all these miraculous things but still wondered if he was going to let them die without water. Why did he command them to walk across the desert where there was no water? Why didn't he send them through some nice land -- though most of that nice land was inhabited by people who might not want any immigrants or transients!
Does God do these things to see if we trust in him or to see if we have patience to wait for him to answer? As many times as God has gotten me through rough times, I catch myself complaining about some new need that he doesn't seem to be filling when I want it. Am I afraid he will let me suffer and die? Some are only minor problems. Where is my trust? Why do I get frustrated if my shoelace refuses to tie the way I want it to? Why do I complain if the driver in front of me is going too slowly?
Why isn't the president we elected solving all the problems we voted for him to solve? Even our children complain that we are not giving them ice cream or a toy they can't live without! Aren't husband and wife after each other for some minor thing that was forgotten accidentally or on purpose?
The need of the Israelites was urgent and they know it, but so does God! Notice that when they complain loudly enough God answers, but he is not happy. Jesus said in one parable that if we keep complaining to the judge, he will give us what we want just to get us off his back.
If we ask for fish our Father might give us a snake, Jesus says in another parable. We are always testing God. He is not always happy to give us what we want when we want it, but he will still give it whether it is water or money. He would rather give us what we need through prayer rather than larceny or bribery. The most difficult item we need is patience. It is hardest when we don't have any idea when our prayers might be answered so we can't plan for it.
Sometimes it seems like there is always something to complain about. There is always room for more complaints. When I see the news and remember how many recovered from Haiti's gigantic storm and yet some are still starving and with no home to go to, the complaints go to the US or the UN. The buck stops higher, but they are afraid to say so since it seems that God only wants patience when we don't have any more.
The Israelites had just been rescued from years of slavery in Egypt and brought to safety through the sea that was parted for them. They saw God do all these miraculous things but still wondered if he was going to let them die without water. Why did he command them to walk across the desert where there was no water? Why didn't he send them through some nice land -- though most of that nice land was inhabited by people who might not want any immigrants or transients!
Does God do these things to see if we trust in him or to see if we have patience to wait for him to answer? As many times as God has gotten me through rough times, I catch myself complaining about some new need that he doesn't seem to be filling when I want it. Am I afraid he will let me suffer and die? Some are only minor problems. Where is my trust? Why do I get frustrated if my shoelace refuses to tie the way I want it to? Why do I complain if the driver in front of me is going too slowly?
Why isn't the president we elected solving all the problems we voted for him to solve? Even our children complain that we are not giving them ice cream or a toy they can't live without! Aren't husband and wife after each other for some minor thing that was forgotten accidentally or on purpose?
The need of the Israelites was urgent and they know it, but so does God! Notice that when they complain loudly enough God answers, but he is not happy. Jesus said in one parable that if we keep complaining to the judge, he will give us what we want just to get us off his back.
If we ask for fish our Father might give us a snake, Jesus says in another parable. We are always testing God. He is not always happy to give us what we want when we want it, but he will still give it whether it is water or money. He would rather give us what we need through prayer rather than larceny or bribery. The most difficult item we need is patience. It is hardest when we don't have any idea when our prayers might be answered so we can't plan for it.
