Exodus 16 – Exodus 18

. . . and the people grumbled, and grumbled, and grumbled! Are you starting to notice a theme here?

“If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger!”
Exodus 16:3

There are a few things to take note of here . Not much time has passed since the people have left the heavy hand of Pharaoh. Yet, their memory of days gone by has suddenly changed. Suddenly the people recall eating bread, gathered around the pot of soup, enjoying life, all while eating and drinking their. I certainly think not! They were slaves after all. Perhaps that was a distant memory of when Jacob first came to Egypt and they all settled in the fertile land of Goshen, but not now. More recently, we can recall the order to make bricks, without the hay supplied. More recently, we can recall the hardship and oppression. How quick the Israelites are to change their story.

The same holds true in chapter 17, when the people are thirst. What happens? They complain, again and again.

For every complaint, God has a response, that is kind and generous. Manna and Quail, food to live by for their wilderness journey. Water that burst forth from a dry rock, to quench their thirst. Care, love, and compassion. Indeed, even in our own complaints, our God is good!

Peace,
Pastor Bailey