March 2nd

Numbers 11:1-13:33

The people of Israel gave into the adversity of the desert and began complaining to Moses. I’m sure they whined about all sorts of things, but one thing was for sure— the people wept and whined for meat to eat. “We remember all of the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt,” they said. “We had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic that we wanted. But now our appetites are gone, and day after day all we have to eat is this manna” (11:5, 6). God’s anger burned against His people so much that He set their tents on fire.

Moses even complained, as he reminded God that these were not his people, and that he was not able to sustain them by himself. Then, both Miriam and Aaron complained against God, in which He responded by giving Miriam leprosy. Finally, after spending forty days in the land of Canaan, and after seeing how hospitable the land was, ten of the twelve spies complained of its inhospitable natives.

While it’s easy to point fingers at Israel’s ungratefulness, we often do the same thing. We, like them, complain in the midst of adversity, inconvenience, obstacles, and unfairness. But the tragedy here is not that the people complained. That’s the natural reaction of human beings, for we are sinful and self-centered. The tragedy is that the people complained in spite of all the blessings God had bestowed on them to this point.

The people focused on what they lacked rather than on what God had provided for them so far. Rather than demonstrate gratitude for the daily, miraculous provision of manna, the people whined about not having meat. Rather than thanking God for the wonderful prophet they had in Moses, they complained about needing others. Rather than relying on the same God who humiliated the proud Egyptian empire, the people were quick to look at their own inabilities and count Canaan as a loss. While they were all too quick to identify what they didn’t have, the Israelites were blind to what they did have. If I were God, I would’ve been angry too.

Daily Reflection

How much do you complain? How often do you become greedy for what you don’t have and discontent regarding what you do have?

What good comes from complaining? What harm comes from complaining?

The cure for complaining is to count your blessings. When was the last time you stopped and thanked God for all that He’s done for you? Why not do it now?

BiAY.org | Day 61 — 304 Days to Go