Cheryl and I just returned from a quick trip to Beaver’s Bend State Park in Oklahoma.  We were there with my brother and our daughter Leah and her family. We did some fishing, some hiking and enjoyed the beauty of that part of God’s creation. We came in separate vehicles, so as Cheryl and I were driving home, I noticed how quiet it was in our vehicle. I thought back to the family trips we made over the years when our three girls still lived at home. Those trips were not as quiet. Sometimes there was singing and laughter and enjoying each other’s company.  Other times there was grumpiness and grumbling. That was not as much fun. It was part of having children.

That was true for God and His children, the nation He chose to bring the Savior into  the world, the children of Israel. When He brought them out of Egypt in order to lead them to the Promised Land, almost immediately they complained about the food situation. “We may have been slaves in Egypt, but at least we had something to eat.”  So God told them He would send quail in the evening for meat and manna in the morning for bread. By the next chapter, they were complaining because there was no water. You may have heard this read in worship last Sunday.

Exodus 17:1–7 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?” But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?” Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.” The Lord answered Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

How often do we complain to God about what we don’t have and forget what He has already given to us?

Psalm 103:2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits  (ESV)

The most needed benefit it the gift of salvation. Our Father accomplished that be sending His Son down here to rescue us from sin and death and the devil. Jesus did what was needed so that we can be certain of forgiveness and eternal life. But wait…there’s more:

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

God has promised to meet our needs. Always. So why the grumbling?