Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”
Numbers 11:4-6
As we prepare to enter this season of Thanksgiving, we are reminded to take time and to be thankful for what we have. But to do that can be challenging. For most of us, our actions reflect a belief that the glass is half empty. The Israelites felt this for sure. This verse occurs as they are crossing the desert on their way to the Promised Land, after God miraculously freed them from slavery in Egypt. As they have been traveling through the barren wilderness, God has been literally dropping food out of the sky for them miraculously each day, since there is little or no food to be found in the desert.
It is into this moment that the rabble begins to grumble. Who cares that God is dropping bread out of the sky each week, who remembers back in Egypt when they gave us free food everyday? Which might be true, but who remembers that back in Egypt you were slaves, and were clamoring to get out? It’s easy to do though. We often look at all that we have been given, and notice what is missing, what is imperfect, what we could have. And we miss the power of what God has already done. Just like with the Israelites, God has provided for us, has given us hope, family, and places to live. If we focus only on what we don’t have, we take forgranted all that God has already blessed us with. So as you prepare your heart and your home for Holiday Season 2012, start with thanking God for all that you already have. Take time to notice all that God is already doing in your life.
Pastor Bill
Discussion Questions
- What is one thing you thank God for?
- What do you typically complain about? Take it to God in prayer, asking for a renewed awareness of what God is already doing in those areas of your life.