Just a few weeks ago in our Sunday morning Bible class we were studying 1 Corinthians 10. In the first ten verses of that chapter the Holy Spirit, through the apostle Paul, reminds Christians of, among other things, the care that God had afforded the children of Israel as they were rescued from Egyptian captivity and wandered in the wilderness as the day for their possession of the promised land drew ever nearer. Although the children of Israel were His chosen people and He aided and cared for them, we read in verse 5: “Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.” One of the reasons that God was displeased with them was because of their incessant complaining and discontent with what they had already been given (v. 10).

It is really rather amazing to me to read of the account of Israel’s salvation from Egyptian slavery and notice how they managed to find something to complain about at just about every turn. It is particularly shocking when one reads how the Egyptians treated them. Exodus 1:13 and 14 says: “So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves.” Who would ever think that a people would actually complain that it was better for them in these conditions then when they were free? Yet that is precisely what Israel did.

It all came down to this—they were not happy with God’s care and provision for them. In Exodus 16:3 the people began to complain that it would have been better for them to die in Egypt, for at least then they would have had good food to eat! After this complaint God provides for them manna, which we are told tasted a great deal like wafers made with honey (Exodus 16:31). However, by the time we get to Numbers 11:4-5 the people begin their complaining again. This time they wished to have the meat and fish they were able to eat in Egypt. In other words, they were no longer satisfied with God’s care for them but wanted something different, something more.

This is precisely where modern Christians often find themselves. How quickly and easily we forget just how blessed we are at times! I fear that many of us are allowing a very materialistic and selfish society influence us in that direction. I’ve had to remind myself on occasion of our Lord’s words in Matthew 6:31-33. “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” You know, I sit back and look at my life and when I really consider it I can only shake my head at just how much God has blessed me from a material standpoint. The church provides us a home. My wife and I have two fairly new cars. We never want for food or clothing. We have televisions, stereos, DVD players, and many other accessories that have nothing at all to do with our survival. In fact, we have so much “stuff” that we are currently planning a yard sale to get rid of some of it in order to create space which will, eventually, fill back up with more “stuff.” And to top it all off, we have a little one on the way who is due in October. How could I be anything but supremely grateful and counting the blessings that the Lord has blessed me and mine with all day long? And yet I find myself complaining at times about the things that I still do not have. Now brethren, it is never fun to take a critical look at oneself in the mirror but I’ll tell you something: for me to ever think that way is a crying shame.

Every Christian needs to make it their goal to be able to say in all honesty what Paul said in Philippians 4:11-13. “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned I whatever situation I am in to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Most of the Christians that I know (with some exceptions), have never known a time when there truly was no food on the table and no prospect for their being any in the near future. Most of us have never known a time when we truly did not have anything to wear or nowhere to lay our heads. To most of us “hard times” means that we must reign in our eating out a bit and buy ground chuck instead of sirloin at the grocery store.

Many of us are forced to admit as we study the life of Paul, who spent much of his Christian life in prison and for whom hardship and difficulty were old friends, that we have never even once in our lives been brought low as that man was brought low. May God truly help us if we can not learn to be content when we abound! You know, it really and truly always comes back to one question: Have I set my mind on things above or do I have my mind planted firmly here below? My God has blessed me in so many ways beyond my ability to express. Shall I not rather be content and humbled that the Creator of all things and the Author of my salvation has condescended to consider one such as me, who falls short and stumbles from time to time, to bless me at all? As I consider all my blessings the only thing I can think to do is join voice with Paul and shout: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”