A few weeks ago, in our Sunday morning Bible class, we were studying 1 Corinthians 10. In the first ten verses of that chapter the Holy Spirit, through the apostle Paul, reminded Christians of, among other things, the care that God afforded the children of Israel when He rescued them from Egyptian captivity and during their wilderness wandering as the day for them to possess the promised land drew nearer. Although the children of Israel were God's chosen people, and He aided and cared for them, we read in verse 5: "Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness." One of the reasons that God was displeased with them was their incessant complaining and discontent with what He had given them (v.10).
I find it really amazing when I read the account of Israel's salvation from Egyptian captivity and notice how they managed to find something to complain about at just about every juncture. It is particularly shocking when one reads how the Egyptians treated them. Exodus 1:13, 14 says: "So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves." Who would ever think that they would actually complain that they were better off under those conditions then when they were free? Yet that is precisely what Israel did.
It all came down to the fact that they were not happy with God's care and provision for them. In Exodus 16:3 the people began to complain that it would have been better for them to die in Egypt; for at least they would have had good food to eat! After this complaint, God provided them with manna, which we are told tasted a great deal like wafers made with honey (Exodus 16:31). However, by the time we get to Numbers 11:4-5 the people are again complaining. This time they wished for the meat and fish they were able to eat in Egypt. In other words, they were no longer satisfied with God's care for them; they wanted something different, something more.
This is precisely where modern Christians often find themselves. At times, we quickly and easily forget just how blessed we are. I fear that many of us are allowing a materialistic and selfish society to influence us in that direction. On occasion, I've had to remind myself of our Lord's words in Matthew 6:31-33. "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
I sit back and look at my life, and when I really consider it I can only shake my head at just how much, from a material standpoint, God has blessed me. The church provides us a home. My wife and I have two fairly new cars. We never want for food or clothing. We have televisions, stereos, DVD players, and many other accessories that have nothing at all to do with our survival. In fact, we have so much stuff that we are currently planning a yard sale to get rid of some of it in order to create space which will, eventually, fill back up with more stuff. And to top it all off, we're expecting a little one who is due in October. How could I be anything but supremely grateful and counting the blessings with which the Lord has blessed me and mine? And yet at times, I find myself complaining about the things I still do not have. Now brethren, it is never fun to take a critical look at oneself in the mirror, but I'll tell you something: it is a crying shame for me to think that way.
Every Christian needs to make it his goal to be able to say in all honesty what Paul said in Philippians 4:11-13. "Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." The Christians I know (with a few exceptions), have never known a time when there was no food on the table and no prospect for there being any in the near future. Most of us have never known a time when we truly had nothing to wear and nowhere to lay our heads. To most of us, hard times means that we must reign in our eating out a bit and buy ground chuck instead of sirloin at the grocery store.
As we study the life of Paul, who spent much of his Christian life in prison and for whom hardship and difficulty were constant companions, many of us are forced to admit that never even once in our lives have we been brought low as that man was. May God help us if we can not learn to be content when we abound! You know, it always comes down to one question: Have I set my mind on things above, or is my mind firmly planted here below? My God has blessed me in so many ways beyond my ability to express. Shall I not rather be content and humbled that the Creator of all things and the Author of my salvation has condescended to consider such a one as me, who falls short and stumbles from time to time, to bless me at all? As I consider all my blessings, I can think of nothing to do but join voice with Paul and shout: "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
Brother Litmer has done a great job of reminding us how truly blessed we are to live in the United States. Over the years, I've been blessed with opportunities to work in foreign countries-some of them third-world countries. The poverty is such that one must see it to fully understand how much some people struggle to exist from one day to the next. People live for days without food; some struggle to find work so they can care for their families; and others have just enough of this world's wealth to get by. Yet they are among the happiest people I've met. Yes, we are truly blessed to live in this country. Unfortunately, I'm afraid we have not learned to appreciate, with thankful and gracious hearts, our material blessings. Do we understand that the things we have are blessings from God and belong to Him? "Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful." (1 Corinthians 4:2) All things belong to God, and we are little more than caretakers who use what we have to His glory and honor. Let's be thankful and willing to share what we have with others who are not so blessed as we are. (KMG)
God demands more from those who have been blessed with much. Are we using our blessings to bring Him glory and honor?