I’ve been following my automatically generated read through the Bible in a year plan, and occasionally, when nothing strikes me to write on my blog, I will likely share with you some thoughts from my daily readings. For the last couple of days, I’ve been working my way through Numbers, and something struck me today about the contrast betweenNumbers 9 and Numbers 11.
As I was reading about the cloud that covered the tabernacle in Numbers 9, I actually thought, wow that’d make a great blog post. In case you don’t know what I’m talking about, when the Israelites were in the wilderness, their pace was determined by a cloud that would descend on the tabernacle when they were to stop, and lift when they should start again. Sometimes, they would stay in one place for a couple of days and sometimes only a night. The amazing thing is that the Israelites were completely and totally reliant on the Lord. They were fed by manna and dew. Their pace was determined by a cloud, and even the decisions about who was and wasn’t to share in the Passover meal were consulted with the Lord first. One of the biggest lies that we can convince ourselves of is that we are self-reliant and independent. It is truly by the Grace of our Lord that we live from moment to moment and that we share in the blessings He bestows. The Israelites were just more obviously dependant on Him.
Then we get to Numbers 11, and the people start whining. You know, it was really actually better in Egypt, at least there we got to eat meat. Now all we get is manna, and there’s only so much you can do with manna. In Egypt we had fish and cucumbers and leeks and garlic (they must have been Veggietales fans). Why did we leave Egypt again? It was really better in Egypt…
Sound familiar? If it doesn’t, then congratulations on being way ahead of me in your spiritual walk. The Lord has done some serious leading in my life, but all too often, I look back and complain. As bad as things were, they really weren’t that bad. Is this maybe one of the ways that sin creeps back into our lives? We start craving just that little piece of meat, because all we’ve had is manna. Sure, manna is from the Lord, and is sustaining us, and showing how much He cares about our wellbeing, but the meat tasted so good. You know, I won’t eat the whole thing, I’ll just have a bite. Well, maybe a couple of bites…. Eventually, the Lord gave the people what they wanted in the form of a flock of quail, but it was plague ridden. How cruel you might say! Was it? The Lord was providing manna, and when that wasn’t good enough, He warned them about the alternative, and they essentially said death was better than manna (didn’t they remember Egypt).
This makes me appreciate all the more the Grace that Christ shows us daily! Even when we keep going back for meat, he keeps standing there with the manna and dew saying, “I have here the perfect sustenance. Eat of the Bread and drink of the Water that I bring you and you will be satisfied!” May we all find our satisfaction in Him!
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