Read: 1 Samuel 30
In 1 Samuel 30, David and his men, having been rejected in their bid to fight with Achish for the Philistines, return to Ziklag. Upon arrival they discover the city has been taken by the Amalekites and burned. Their wives and children had been taken captive and all of their possessions looted. In verse 4, the Bible says they lifted up their voices and wept until they had no more power to weep.
It didn’t take long for their grief to become rage. They became angry, not at the Amalekites, but at David their leader, and even began to speak of stoning him. In verse 6, we see that David was greatly distressed by the attitude of the people toward him, and by their grief for their lost loved ones.
But verse 6 also shows us why David was a leader. Facing the same grief they did, and more, David turned to the Lord. He sought comfort from God, encouraging himself in the one who had always preserved and protected him. He then sought the Lord’s will concerning the next step. God instructed David to follow after the Amalekites and recover the lost family members and goods. David did so, and God blessed, enabling them to snatch victory from the jaws of an apparently crushing defeat.
No matter your station, there is a lesson to be learned. God allows trials and difficulties into our lives not to destroy us, but to strengthen us. David faced difficulties from without and within, yet he did not abandon himself to despair. He turned to the only true source of strength, comfort and wisdom. As a result, David learned again his dependence on God, a dependence that would serve him well as King of Israel.
For everyone, troubles, trials, burdens and problems are part of life. For the Christian, they are like huge neon signs flashing out a single message, “PRAY, PRAY, PRAY”.
Just a servant,
Bro. Tom
Showing posts with label murmuring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label murmuring. Show all posts
Rumbling and Grumbling
February 14
Read: Numbers 11:1-20
As Israel traveled through the desert, God provided them with manna on a daily basis. For this manna they had to do no work other than gather it up. Each morning, as they arose, the gift of God lay fresh on the ground, easily available and capable of meeting every nutritional need for the whole nation. Manna was a miracle and a blessing direct from the hand of God.
In Numbers 11, Israel decides that manna is no longer good enough. A percentage of the people, called the mixed multitude, began to wish for the food they had left behind in Egypt. They wanted the variety, the tastes, the delicacies of Egypt. In verse 4, the Bible says they “fell a lusting”. Will somebody please give us a little meat to go with this manna?
In verse 10, we see the responses of both God and Moses. The anger of the Lord was kindled greatly, and Moses also was displeased. The complaining of the people actually reduced Moses to whining, and the first thing the Lord did was take some of His Spirit away from Moses and place on the seventy elders. Then He gave the people their request. For a month, they got meat to eat. They stuffed themselves until they were sick of it.
In Psalm 106:5 the Bible tells of this time, “And he (God) gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.” It is unfortunate but true we in the church have learned little from Israel’s bad example. Week after week God provides us with preachers, musicians, and teachers, using them to supply everything we need for our spiritual well-being. And almost every Sunday, the “mixed multitude” shows up. They will complain that the song service is boring, the preaching is unexciting, or the temperature in the building is uncomfortable. Fed on a diet of television and top forty Christian music, they have “fallen a lusting” after the things of Egypt. And, like Moses, many pastors and Christian leaders have surrendered, giving them what they want.
There are so many lessons here. But the bottom line is pretty clear. Don’t let a few complainers shift your focus to the world. Egypt is not where the blessings reside. Keep your eyes on God, be grateful for His blessings, and follow Him faithfully. And be careful what you lust after, God may give you what you think you want.
Just a servant,
Bro. Tom
Read: Numbers 11:1-20
As Israel traveled through the desert, God provided them with manna on a daily basis. For this manna they had to do no work other than gather it up. Each morning, as they arose, the gift of God lay fresh on the ground, easily available and capable of meeting every nutritional need for the whole nation. Manna was a miracle and a blessing direct from the hand of God.
In Numbers 11, Israel decides that manna is no longer good enough. A percentage of the people, called the mixed multitude, began to wish for the food they had left behind in Egypt. They wanted the variety, the tastes, the delicacies of Egypt. In verse 4, the Bible says they “fell a lusting”. Will somebody please give us a little meat to go with this manna?
In verse 10, we see the responses of both God and Moses. The anger of the Lord was kindled greatly, and Moses also was displeased. The complaining of the people actually reduced Moses to whining, and the first thing the Lord did was take some of His Spirit away from Moses and place on the seventy elders. Then He gave the people their request. For a month, they got meat to eat. They stuffed themselves until they were sick of it.
In Psalm 106:5 the Bible tells of this time, “And he (God) gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.” It is unfortunate but true we in the church have learned little from Israel’s bad example. Week after week God provides us with preachers, musicians, and teachers, using them to supply everything we need for our spiritual well-being. And almost every Sunday, the “mixed multitude” shows up. They will complain that the song service is boring, the preaching is unexciting, or the temperature in the building is uncomfortable. Fed on a diet of television and top forty Christian music, they have “fallen a lusting” after the things of Egypt. And, like Moses, many pastors and Christian leaders have surrendered, giving them what they want.
There are so many lessons here. But the bottom line is pretty clear. Don’t let a few complainers shift your focus to the world. Egypt is not where the blessings reside. Keep your eyes on God, be grateful for His blessings, and follow Him faithfully. And be careful what you lust after, God may give you what you think you want.
Just a servant,
Bro. Tom
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