DAY 196- BIG PICTURE IN A YEAR - THE WILDERNESS

Reading: Numbers 21: 4-9; 1 Corinthians 10

Continuing our discussion from yesterday - why was Paul at pains to include grumbling, or white-anting, in his list of perils that Christians should be careful to avoid? 

Well, it’s because the murmuring of the Israelites was against their God-given leaders, Moses and Aaron – and it is analogous to what Paul was experiencing from the Corinthians. They too were undermining his apostolic authority by murmuring. And this could have led to the collapse of the church there. 

There’s another danger in murmuring. The moment you murmur, grumble and complain, you cease to be thankful. Eventually you forget all the good things that God has given you – and your glass becomes permanently ‘half empty’. 

The most dangerous thing about murmuring is whom its aimed at. In our reading for today, Moses tells the congregation, “Your complaints are not against us, but against the Lord.” Yikes. 

I’m just going to leave it there – and allow you a few moments to ask the Lord to show you where you may be guilty of this. It’s as easy as seeing, and repenting, to get re-aligned with God’s ways and experience His pleasure and blessing.

Prayer

Lord, I need a radical readjustment in this area. Please help me. 

For the family

Watch this Rocket Kids video about complaining – then discuss.