#DailyDevotion Don’t Grumble Against The Lord
Easter Tuesday
Read Ex 15:19—16:12
Exo 16:6-9 So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “At evening you shall know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, (7) and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against the LORD. For what are we, that you grumble against us?” (8) And Moses said, “When the LORD gives you in the evening meat to eat and in the morning bread to the full, because the LORD has heard your grumbling that you grumble against him—what are we? Your grumbling is not against us but against the LORD.” (9) Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel, ‘Come near before the LORD, for he has heard your grumbling.'”
This will be a continuing problem with the Israelites. They will not be happy in whatever situation that they are in and they will grumble against Moses and Aaron. Whether at the Red Sea or Mara or any other times things aren’t quite right they will grumble against Moses.
And as a principle, they are not grumbling against Moses and Aaron but they are grumbling against the Lord who had delivered them up from the Egyptians. For Moses and Aaron are the Lord’s representatives. They are doing what the Lord had told them to do. When the Israelites grumble against them, they are expressing their lack of faith in the Lord. Even after all the Lord had done for them so far and seeing the glory of the Lord in the pillar of cloud Moses has to tell them, “When this happens, you will know it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt.” How could they not believe this by now? But as we shall see, no matter what the Lord does and how often he delivers these people, their hearts will turn against Moses, Aaron and the Lord.
The Lord never the less has mercy on the Israelites, again and again and again.
We may not always be faithful to the Lord either.
Like Moses and Aaron, the Lord Jesus Christ has given us pastors to teach, preach and administer the sacraments that we might be built up in the Lord, strengthened in our faith and endure in the faith unto life everlasting. (Eph. 4:11-12) But like the Israelites, we don’t like the water. We don’t like the food. We don’t like the situation in the church that we have and we grumble against the one whom the Lord has chosen to minister to us. It is not against the pastors we are grumbling but against the Lord who has given them unto us. The Lord is merciful and kind. Instead of grumbling we need to give thanks and bring our concerns and cares to the Lord Jesus Christ in prayer. He will hear your prayer and answer it. Striking the shepherd he sends will not get you what you want.
Heavenly Father, give us faith that we may always give thanks for all your benefits to us, eyes to recognize your goodness, and a heart that knows your mercy that we may not grumble against you but look to you for every good thing. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.