Readings for the day: Exodus 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
I am not a big fan of whining. Ask my children and they will tell you that one of the things that really spins me up as a dad is when they whine. I am not sure why it is such a hot button for me. Perhaps it was how I was raised. Perhaps it’s because of how hard I’ve had to work my whole life. Perhaps it’s because whining and complaining is just not something I tend to do. It’s such a tender spot for me that every time I read Exodus, I find myself getting a little frustrated, even angry, with God’s people. They complain ALL THE TIME!
“They said to Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness." (Ex. 14:11-12)
“And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" (Ex. 15:24)
“And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." (Ex. 16:2-3)
“Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?" But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?" (Ex. 17:2-3)
These are the same people who have literally watched God part the Red Sea! Literally watched God fight for them against the Egyptians! Literally watched God rain manna and quail down from heaven! Literally watched God bring water from a rock! How can they not believe?
This year, God has given me a new insight. As I’m reading, I find myself paying particular attention to how God responds. I am definitely more like Moses. I get frustrated. Angry. Upset. The whining and complaining gets on my nerves. But then I look at how God responds.
“The Lord said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward. Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground. And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen...Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the Lord, and they believed in the Lord and in his servant Moses.” (Ex. 14:15-18, 30-31)
“And Moses cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, saying, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer." (Ex. 15:25-26)
“Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not...And the Lord said to Moses, "I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.'" (Ex. 16:4, 11-12)
“And the Lord said to Moses, "Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink...” (Ex. 17:5-6)
It really is remarkable when you stop to think about it. God meeting the needs of His people over and over again. And while it’s extremely difficult to discern the tone of God’s voice as He speaks, I imagine it is sometimes tender. Sometimes stern. Sometimes there’s probably an edge to it and other times God is deeply compassionate. The point of it all is that these are the actions of a loving Father who is raising up His children to know Him and love Him and serve Him in this world. God is forming a family. He is teaching them to trust Him. To lean on Him. To believe in Him. He gives them tests along the way so they can learn about the great faithfulness of God for themselves. Deliverance through the Red Sea. Egyptians and Amalekites destroyed. Manna every day. Quail every night. Water from rocks. Purified water from a bitter spring. This is how God is raises His children. Even to this day.
So back to whining. If I’m honest, I’m a whiner as well. I do complain a lot. Deep down in my heart, I struggle all the time with frustrations and fears. Failures and uncertainty. I have these longings that go unfulfilled. I have these needs that go unmet. I often feel like I deserve more. Like I’m entitled because of all the hard work I’ve put in. All these emotions lie below the surface if I am totally transparent and how does God respond? He puts me to the test. He places me in situations where I have no choice but to cry out to Him. Why? Because He’s teaching me every single day what it means to be His child. To grow into His likeness and image. To become the man He’s created and called me to be.