LifeLink Devotions for Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Exodus 16:2 “In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron.” 

Have we ever considered how many of our negative reactions and responses to people and circumstances are really directed at God and how they offend Him deeply? I think this is a much more serious issue than we want to truly face. I think that our understanding of this issue reflects on our view of God and His sovereignty.

Imagine with me for a moment the latest incident you observed of a rebellious child in the grocery store. I hope it wasn’t with your own child, but it is certainly a possibility because we have all had it happen to us. Little Johnny has just walked with his mommy past the Froot Loops in the cereal aisle and has expressed a strong desire to have some. Mommy explains to Johnny that she already has cereal at home for him. An argument begins because Johnny wants this cereal, and he wants it now. He stomps his feet and refuses to move along. He may even scream a little and say things about how he never gets anything that he wants. He closes with a statement about how he is going to starve because there’s nothing to eat at home.

Sound familiar? But let’s analyze what is really happening. Johnny has become so self-absorbed with the Froot Loops that it causes him to stop and refuse to move on in his life until he gets what he wants. His focus is so distorted that he irrationally evaluates his condition and the historical faithfulness of the food supply at home. He has chosen to not see beyond the immediate. What you have here is a perfect definition of the word “grumble” from the original Hebrew language. It is the word loon, and it literally means to stop (usually overnight); to stay permanently; to be obstinate. We could honestly and truthfully say that stubborn people are loony.  

But the real issue with Johnny is this – he has declared his mother to be unfaithful and irresponsible. No matter how much she explains to him that she will feed him and provide for him, he chooses not to honor her but rather to attempt to manipulate her into giving him what he wants. He manipulates through stopping, stomping, screaming, and scaring. He literally places himself above his mother in authority and in his ability to determine what is best for him.

This is serious: not just for Johnny, but because it is so true of our own lives in relationship with God. Complaining about our current situation and the people who are influencing and affecting our lives is a direct rebellion against the faithfulness and responsibility of God to determine what is best for our lives. It stinks with the smell of a dead and decaying body being placed back on the throne of one’s life. Quite a word picture, isn’t it? But that is exactly my intention. Our old nature and the flesh were to have died and been buried with Christ at the time of our salvation. Jesus was given full access to the throne of our lives, and He was declared Lord and sovereign of all. But how many times have we replaced Jesus on the throne with the corruption and compost of our dead self by complaining and manipulating to get our own way? This certainly is not the life of focused faith that pleases God.

So next time we’re tempted to stop and stay at a place we think we should have received something for ourselves, remember Johnny, and focus on the Lordship of Jesus Christ who has been and always will be faithful and responsible to bless us with every spiritual blessing from on high so that we can fulfill His divine purpose.

Pastor John