Pictures of Egypt

Part 1
Numbers 11

I am on Facebook and love it. I have reconnected with so many friends and even some family I have not seen in years. I also am on Twitter…but have realized I have more letters in my “tweets” than it will allow so I mostly stick with Facebook. There is a section called, “What’s on your mind?” where friends write how they are feeling that day, some inspirational thought, a prayer request, or something funny! These thoughts appear on my “homepage” and I look forward to reading them…at least most of them! Some are quotes that spurs great thought…others will cause me to chuckle all day…still others will be a request for prayer. But then there are those that are daily complaints about something…their job…people at their job…when is Friday…well you get the picture. Recently, Facebook provided a new feature that allows people to be “hidden.” I guess this is cyber-world’s avoidance of asking “some” people how they are that we often implement in the real world! Personally, I hate to hide people for I really do want to know what is going on in their lives, but sometimes I am influenced by their constant negativity…

It seems to be a natural thing to complain. Perhaps that is why the Bible so often tells us to, “Praise the Lord!” I have to keep my thoughts and complaints in check often for I have a tendency to see the glass half empty…something I am working on…and maybe that is why God led me to Numbers 11 today!

Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when He heard them his anger was aroused. Numbers 11:1a

Hardships? Let’s do some review…not long before, these same people had been slaves in Egypt under a cruel Pharaoh. Along comes Moses and with God’s guidance convinces the Pharaoh to “Let my people go!” and away they went. Throughout this journey to the Promised Land, God had been a constant provider of protection and provision…The “hardships” these people were facing at this point concerned their desire for different foods other than what God had been providing for them since they left Egypt. They were blessed daily with something called manna which in Hebrew means, “What is it?” It was tasty and fulfilling and provided all the nutrients their bodies needed yet, they wanted more.

There you have it! The problem from the very beginning is wanting more than what God provides. Eve had everything a woman could possibly want…yet she wanted more and the rest is history. These people wanted more and were spurred on by a group the Bible calls “the rabble among them” (verse 4) These were the influencers. As we continue reading: The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumber, melons, looks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite: we never see anything but his manna!”

Am I part of the rabble? Am I again wailing? It is easy you know. It is all about focus. God’s promise is all about providing our needs…but not our greeds! While writing this I realize I have everything I need…I am healthy, I have a roof over my head…I am certainly not starving…yet at times I want more. It is my flesh and desire for what the world can give…not relying on what God has given. This scripture is a warning for we see that God gave them exactly what they wanted. (Please read verses 18-20 and 33-34) When we desire more than what God has given us it will lead to our demise.

This is a chilling reminder to me that I need to be thankful for my daily bread and that I need to not become a “rabbler”! It is so easy to focus on things we do not have…but we as Christians are called upon to praise God for the things we do have: His daily provisions for life. It really is about focus…when we focus on what is in Egypt (the world)…things become blurry so put your focus on today and the fact that He is good and well you just don’t know…the Promised Land might be just ahead!