GOD HELP US NOT TO MURMUR OR COMPLAIN

This is my daily prayer now. As fear spreads and uncertainty abounds, let us pray the Holy Spirit will show us that murmuring and complaining are signs of impatience and distrust of our faithful Lord.

In Exodus 17, Moses called murmuring “tempting God.” The children of Israel were at Rephidim and there was no water to drink. Unbelieving doubt spread through the encampment! The people forgot all their past deliverances from distress and began once again to doubt that God was with them. They cried, “God, why did you bring us out of Egypt? Why didn’t you let us die there instead of bringing us to this place to kill us?”

They were ready to stone Moses. In great mercy, God gave them water out of a rock, but the Lord made them call it Massah and Meribah—murmuring and complaining. It was to be a place never forgotten in Israel’s future.

We feel we have a right to murmur and complain because our particular afflictions are so painful, so difficult. There are times I have been guilty of this tempting God, but as I read and reread Exodus l7, a reverent fear of the Lord gripped my soul—“God takes this matter very seriously.”

He has seen us through so much in the past and he has proven his faithfulness every time. The question is, when will we ever fully trust him? When will we ever fully trust his promise to keep us, to love us, to be a Father, a keeper? We need the Holy Spirit to help us.

I plead with you, do not murmur or complain, for all who hold fast to faith, that person will be blessed. God help me to take this to heart in the testing times ahead. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.

If you could know how this will all end up to God’s glory, you would rest in his Word.