Too Blessed

How often have we stood at the open doors of a well-stocked refrigerator and thought, "I have nothing to eat", or opened overloaded closets and lamented of nothing to wear? This was the situation for the desert-wondering people of Israel in Numbers 21. God had faithfully supplied bread, meat and water, but still they complained.

5 The people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food." (Num. 21:5)

To remind the people exactly who had been their provider and protector, God sent poisonous snakes, and many were bitten and died. The people then begged forgiveness and asked Moses to pray that God would take the snakes away. Moses prayed, but rather than remove the snakes, God told Moses to mount a snake on a pole and have the people look at it whenever they were bitten. The consequence of their sin remained, but salvation was available for those willing to seek. Rather than make us comfortable, God wants us to be mindful of where our salvation comes from.

Like the people of Israel, we are a people in darkness who have seen a great light, and complained it was too bright. We say we want peace, but when we have it we easily fall into complacency.

May we live in grateful acknowledgment of God's daily blessings and mercies.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

2 Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—

those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

3 those he gathered from the lands,

from east and west, from north and south.

17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways

and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.

18 They loathed all food

and drew near the gates of death.

19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,