Journey to Sinai

Complain, Complain, Complain. As I was reading this I was reminded at how much my children complain about everything. Too much school, not enough TV, I don't like that, Where's my..., Do I have to? These people were led away from slavery and yet they complain that they were given food there in Egypte and they have none here in the desert. Did they forget how they were beaten daily and mistreated and did I mention beaten? Do we do this in our own lives? Maybe with our spouse or with our children. We complain about everything they do or do not do and forget about all the things they do do. (LOL)

In this chapter we learn about the wonderful gift of food and water that God provides for His people miraculously. Manna, Quail and Water. Wow, what a God, yet still there is grumbling. Grumble Grumble! This attitude towards God was not just bitter complaining but hostility towards Him. He must really care for his children to not have just wiped them out right then and there. I think they were failing to remember that God is ultimately in control. When we loose sight of that we tend to become more negative in our attitude. I know that is true for me. When we trust God to work in our lives we then are filled with optimism and hope. Don;t you think?Come on we need to trust God and stop testing Him. A mature faith in God responds gladly to Him. I am still learning that but have come Oh such a long long way over the past 5 years or so.

God makes it very clear about his rest on the 7th day. He give specific instructions for food preparation so that no one is working on the sabbath day. Hmmm, I wonder, do I really obey this law? I go to church, teach the choir, go to lunch and then spend the day at the park. Hmmm, yea I think so! I do. Or would He consider all that work? Well, I do still make breakfast and dinner. There is a little work involved, but I usually do not do housework or laundry etc. I really try to make Sunday our day of Sabbath.

The one last thing that was started here is the whole judicial system. The appointment of the judges for tens, fifties, hundreds and thousands gives us the basic principle of the Old Testament legal justice system. Elders were responsible to serve as judges and dish out God's Law fairly. This sharing of responsibility means that all the people had access to justice and everyone could be heard. Much like we have today. Funny, I think our system was built on Biblical laws even though many people today would like to tell us otherwise!