Today I worshiped with the people at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Charlotte. It was one of the most amazing church experiences I have had in a long while. The Children’s choir was amazing. There was a 91 year old man who sang “His Eye is on the Sparrow” in such a way that it brought tears to my eyes. At 91 years old, sitting in a wheelchair he sang with such conviction and heart that there was no doubt he had indeed experienced God watching over him. His testimony reminded me that just as God cares for the sparrow he cares for me.
I am convinced that the sermon Rev. Herb Rhedrick gave was for me. He talked out of Exodus 16 and examined the story of the Israelite nation coming out of Egypt. They had not been in the desert long and they began to grumble, going to Moses saying, “What have you done, led us out here to die; it would have been better for us to remain in Egypt.”
These people who had just witnessed the miraculous exodus from Egypt, had walked across the sea on dry land, watched Pharoh and all his armies destroyed before their eyes and still they grumbled. They forgot who had gotten them this far. They were overcome by their surroundings, and the cirumstances of life at that moment.
As I listened I almost started laughing. I was acting just like the nation of Israel. I had moved to North Carolina because Nancy and I believed this is where God wants us to be and was struggling with the lack of clarity and provision. I was overcome by my surroundings and circumstances to the point that I was relying more upon myself and less upon God.
Rev. Rhedrick then drew our attention to verse 4, ”Then theLORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; ” God is saying, ”They have forgotten, I have not.” Pay attention here, watch what I will do for them. In the midst of their grumbling and compalining God says watch, look at how I am going to provide for them. God’s grace in the midst of grumbling. It would be common, even acceptable for us to walk away from such ungrateful, forgetful people; yet God says stand back and watch how I am going to extend my grace upon them.
The truth is we grumble to the wrong people about situations which need a movement of God. Our challenge is to stop the grumbling and go to the one who can meet us and fulfill us. Instead we tend to complain and grumble to those who cannot help us, (ie. the Israelites complaining to Moses and Aaron).
What situations in life are you grumbling about? Have you taken them to the one who can extend grace and bring healing and wholeness?
Stop grumbling and go directly to the person who can meet you and fulfill you.
On my ride home I did a lot of confessing my grumbling spirit and asking God for help to trust that everything was under control.
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