Verse of the day: Numbers 11:1 “Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the LORD burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp.”
If we tell others how wonderful it is to be a Christian, and how great it is to serve the Lord, why do we complain so much? There is nothing more discouraging than hearing a Christian proclaim how great the Lord is in one breath, then go into a murmuring session with the next breath. I believe that too many of us forget how much God despises murmuring and complaining. In this chapter, we see God’s anger aroused because of the Israelites’ complaining. In this instance, as in many other instances, the complaining comes from being ungrateful in respect to God’s provision, and His leading. Although God had blessed them with manna from Heaven, the people complained because they preferred the food they had in Egypt. In response to their complaining, God provided quail for them to eat, along with a good dose of the plague (v. 33-34). How do we effectively proclaim the Good News of the Gospel if what we are known for, in our circle of influence, is our murmuring and complaining? What kind of message does that send to the unsaved world that is observing us? What impression do we give our unsaved neighbors, coworkers, family, and friends, when all they hear from us is how bad this is, or how bad that is, or why do we have to do such and such? Does this mean that we will never have a complaint about something? No, it does not. However, there is a difference between going to the Lord and complaining about some situation or circumstance, and complaining about the Lord, and what He has chosen or not chosen for us. The Israelites, in complaining about God’s provision, were complaining about God. Often, when we complain about where God has us, what He has us doing, and what He is allowing us to experience, or not allowing, what we are doing is complaining about God Himself. When we complain about those God has called to lead us, we are complaining against Him. Complaining was nothing new with the Israelites. They complained while they were slaves, and being freed from slavery, they still complained. If we are not careful, we too can become “Christian Complainers”. When God is doing something in our lives to free us from the bondage we suffered for so long, and things seem to get worse than better, we complain. The Israelites complained when God was in the process of freeing them because the labor put on them became more intense (Exodus 5). How often do we do this when the devil turns up the heat because we have crossed over from his family to God’s family? Our first inclination is to complain and wonder if it was even worth giving our lives to Christ (this usually results in going back to our worldly ways). Once the Israelites were freed, and found themselves facing a stressful, and seemingly impossible, situation, at the Red Sea, they told Moses to leave them alone (Exodus 14). How often do we do our best to follow the Scriptures, godly advice, and take the path of righteousness, only to face harsh persecution and criticism, even from those we know and love? What do we do? We complain and begin to wonder if it is even worth doing the right thing. Yet, God allows such things to happen in order to strengthen our faith, and grow our intimacy with Him. Sadly, like the Israelites, we choose murmuring and complaining rather than learning, and growing closer to the Lord. The truth of the matter is the God’s Word commands us not to murmur and complain. Philippians 2:14-15 tells us, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world”. When we complain, we dim the light of our testimony. The bottom line is that complaining not only makes our testimony for the Lord less effective, but it causes strife amongst God’s people. James 4:1-3 reminds us, “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” Complainers still lust after worldly things, and are often the cause of strife within the body. Let us not be ungrateful complainers. Instead, let us be thankful, as commanding in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
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