WAITING: The Story of Israel in the Wilderness
Exodus 16
Song: Wait for You by Leeland
Before Exodus 16, the Israelites had found themselves successfully escaping the clutches of the pharaoh and his men. They began the journey to the promised land, the place where God promised flourishing and the restoration of their people. Exodus 16, tells us the people of Israel have become a grumbling people. They start to complain, and long for what once was, thinking at least they had food. They grumble against Aaron and Moses, not realizing what they really are grumbling against the Lord. In the midst of their complaining, we see the grace of God in his faithfulness of providing manna. Yet, even in the midst of his provision and grace, we see the people of Israel continue to walk in disobedience, distrust and dishonesty. Their grumbling continues.
God in the story of providing manna does something so radical. He provides to undeserving people who only take for granted all God gives them. He provides food, a gracious way to show them how to be obedient and rely on Him, and they continue to toss it to the side. I read this story and thought, “what is wrong with these people?” He gives them fresh water that is sweet as honey, and then they seek for the next thing to complain about. He provides them bread from the literal sky, and they do not trust Him to continue to provide so they try to hoard their food and work on the day He tells them not to. I get frustrated with them, asking myself how they could be so blind to such a gracious God who gives to them in the waiting. They are so impatient! Then I thought about it a little longer, and I realized mankind has not changed since then. How often, in our own waiting do we find ourselves grumbling? I too find myself struggling to trust God and put my faith in His faithfulness. I too try to hoard blessings from God afraid that He is going to hold out on me later. I too forget to be thankful for when God pulls me out of hard seasons, all because I am ready for the next thing and hate being in a season of waiting.
“For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” (2 Corinthians 5:1-5)
Paul is saying in 2 Corinthians shows how we are waiting for the day that we can return home to be in the full presence of God. We groan and long for what is to come. For now, we wait. We wait for that day, but instead of God showing us His grace through falling manna, we have the Spirit indwelling in us as our guarantee, we have the savior who died on a cross for us to be a living reminder that God’s promises are true and hold up.
When reading Exodus 16, I look to Moses who hears only criticism and complaints. Instead of getting frustrated with the people of Israel (like I do) he instead turns to God and cries out to Him. He seeks for the Lord to provide, trusting God will care for him and his people. What does it look like for us to repent of our grumbling, and instead move towards crying out in trust that the Lord will provide? How can we invite our community into crying out alongside us?
