Complainers

Part of my Bible reading plan currently has me going through the book of Numbers. I highly encourage everybody to have a Bible reading plan, even if you don't believe the Bible...But that's another post.

All of the Old Testament is fascinating. If it were made into a movie I am sure it would be rated R... maybe NC-17. But right now I'm in Numbers. There is such great content in the book of Numbers. God spoke to me the other day through the chapter on Korah's Rebellion. You should check it out.

But almost every time I've done my Bible reading the past few days a reoccurring theme is jumping off the page.

The Israelites are wandering around in the desert. God is leading them. God is feeding them. God is protecting them. God is being gracious to them. 

But over and over again we find them complaining, either against God or against Moses. They complain all the time. 

And over and over again God disciplines them for their complaints. He sends plagues. He sends snakes (which would immediately cure me). He sends a giant sink hole. 

The point being: God, who is slow to anger and abounding in love, gets fed up with constant complaining and takes action to stop it.

Makes me think twice about complaining. Doesn't it you?

We live in a culture where complaining is one of our national pastimes. Some of us hold advance degrees in complaining. 

It's good to remind ourselves that complaining is offensive to God. Contentment, however, is pleasing to him.

Let's be content people, not complainers.