SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9
Exodus 15:22-16:15
Exodus 14:11-12

“… and there
he proved them.”

THE TRUTH BEHIND MURMURING

The people could not find water after travelling for three days. And when they found bitter water at Marah (“Marah” means bitter), they murmured against Moses. The LORD turned the water sweet by telling Moses to cast a tree into the waters. The LORD reminded them at this point that if they obeyed His commandments, He would not put on them the diseases which He put on the Egyptians. The God who can turn bitter water sweet can also give them health. At Elim, they found abundance of water, and palm trees for shade. But when they ran out of food, they murmured again against Moses and Aaron saying they would rather God had personally killed them in Egypt than allow them to suffer hunger in the wilderness. At least they could die full while eating the meat and bread there instead of being hungry out here. The LORD spoke to Moses through the pillar of cloud and sent abundance of quails and rained manna from heaven.

It was only three days after their songs of praise to God for His power and deliverance that they murmured grievously upon experiencing difficulty. Many of us are like that. We are happy when things go well, but will immediately murmur when there are difficulties. It was not easy for the children of Israel to travel without water. But having just witnessed God’s miraculous deliverance, they should have learned to trust Him and ask Him for help, instead of complaining. God again showed them that He could provide. Yet they murmured again. God revealed the truth behind murmurings. When we murmur, we are complaining against Him and He hears it! Moses pointed this out three times (Exod 16:7- 9). And the LORD Himself said, “I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel” (Exod 16:12). Dear reader, when we know God and we still murmur about life’s situations and people, it is a terrible thing! God orders all things. Trust Him!

THOUGHT: When I murmur, I am speaking against God Himself for what happens in my life.
PRAYER: LORD, forgive me for my murmurings against Thee.