Romancing The Rock

Last week I shared about an experience as a parent which highlighted the Father’s heart for us. This one is a little different and rather amusing (well, I think so anyway.)

How many of us have children who grumble and complain and never seem to be grateful? I know I’m not the only one. You give them a new mp3 player – “but I want the one all my friends have!” You make them a delicious dinner – “but there are peas in it!” You try to let them have as much fun as possible but – “You never let me do anything!”

God knows just how frustrating that is and He can empathise with us. The Israelites – His beloved children – were just like that. He gave them freedom from slavery, miraculously parted the Red Sea, made their shoes not wear out, brought them water from the rock, led them by a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire and he fed them miraculous manna for forty years daily. And yet, they complained. They seemed to always wish they were back in Egypt for some crazy reason.

Moses was frustrated. “Why did you give me these people to lead?” he asks God. “Now they want meat. Where am I going to get enough meat in this desert to feet them all?”

God was also angry at their grumbling. He felt rejected by their moaning, especially after all He’d done for them. Isn’t that how we feel too? This was His response.

“Tell the people I have heard them wailing. Tell them I will give them their meat. But tell them they won’t eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it.” (This mostly my paraphrasing, but it’s true. Check it out here: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2011:4-18&version=NIV)

Can’t you just hear the frustration in those words? I imagine gritted teeth as He grates out the words, letting them have what they want in spite of their attitude. I love it! It makes me feel ok about my own frustrated parenting. It also makes me realise just how much we are created in His image.

So, the next time you feel aggravated by grumbling children, remember God knows how it feels and He promises to help us through these times.