From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.”
(from New Revised Standard Version)
The Israelites had been rescued from Egypt where they had been under the most terrible of conditions as slaves. With God’s help Moses had defeated Pharaoh and led the people through the waters of the Red Sea to safety. He might have expected that the Israelites would continue to praise God for all that He had done, but instead the people found the desert a barren place not at all to their liking. They quickly turned on Moses, and on God as the authors of all their grievances.
The story is well known, and whether we believe God held back the waters of the sea to let the Israelites cross through before bringing it crashing down on the Egyptians is a matter of opinion and some dispute. Was it the “Reed Sea”, a shallow crossing for instance, followed by a tsunami? Whichever it was God could do either of these things, and He is worthy of praise!
Are we rather like the Israelites? Are we too quick to blame God, or each other, when times are bad? When times are good it’s all too easy to thank God for all the good things in our lives. When the situation changes we frantically cry for help, while feeling God should have done something – that somehow it’s His fault. But our Heavenly Father is always deserving of praise.
Father, God,
you have taught us through your Son, Jesus Christ,
that we are your children.
You stretch out your hands in mercy,
calling us into a relationship with you.
and we thank you for your loving kindness
and praise your holy name.
Make us worthy of our calling,
and grateful for your gracious generosity.
Amen.