Naturally

In my Bible reading this morning I was reading in Exodus chapters 14 and 15. These are the chapters where Jehovah shows his ultimate power and strength against Pharaoh and the Egyptian army. Moses and Miriam sing their songs, then Moses leads the Israelites forward, and they continue their journey. They come to Marah, the water is bitter, and the people murmur. Thus begins the rocky relationship between these people and Jehovah God which culminates in their final sentence of wandering in the wilderness for forty years—

"And Jehovah's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander to and fro in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of Jehovah, was consumed." (Numbers 32:13 ASV)

There is a lesson here, and I'm not the first to throw it on the table, but I will put it there anyway. Human nature does not really change. We still have the tendency to murmur. These people have just been freed from slavery and are given the responsibility of choosing a better life. Surely the life of bondage wasn't good. 

"And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor: and they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field, all their service, wherein they made them serve with rigor." (Exodus 1:13-14 ASV)

Their lives were 'bitter' with hard service. Yet how many times after they are freed do they say, we should have stayed in Egypt? There was a responsibility in freedom they weren't prepared for. They had the mindset of slavery and that whole generation (other than Joshua and Caleb) were sentenced to die in the wilderness. We see throughout history the same pattern repeated time after time. 

•  As someone has suggested we need to pray as if everything depends on God then work as if everything depends on us.

Another lesson here is, the Nature of Jehovah doesn't change either. Some folks say that in the Old Testament God was vengeful and full of wrath, but now He's a God of love. And they point to:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16 ASV)

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is begotten of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."
(1 John 4:7-8 ASV)

There are other verses in the New Testament that tell us God is a God of love, and that's what we are led to believe. Old Testament God / angry and wrathful, New Testament God/ God of love.

But take a second look at that Old Testament God:

How many times during the Exodus and right up until they were set to enter the promised land did they murmur, complain, and even want to turn back to Egypt. Yet Jehovah suffers with their foolishness until they go beyond the murmur button and hit the out and out rebellion alarm, and he sends them to wander. He's always been a God of love and mercy. We can know that what Zophar accused Job of is more our problem: 

"...For he is manifold in understanding. Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth." (Job 11:6 ASV)

'The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."(2 Peter 3:9 ASV)

Jehovah God did not want any to perish under the Old Testament any more than He wants people to perish under the New Testament. 

Do I know better than to murmur and complain? Well, yes I do. Do I find myself doing the old murmuring thing on occasion? Hm, again I'm embarrassed to admit, I do.

• First, remember, God loves His children. Is something making you unhappy? Tell Him in prayer asking for a solution.
• Once you've laid it at His throne, leave it there. I believe you can continue to pray over it as long as needful, just don't pick it up and 'worry' over it.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. (James 4:8 ASV)

Hallelujah! What a Savior!