Greener Grass in the Wilderness
Scripture
The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, “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.”
The Lord spoke to Moses and said, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.”
Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”
Morning by morning they gathered it, as much as was needed.
Reflection
This story from the Old Testament is one that I feel like many of us heard as we were growing up. The story of God providing meat and bread for God’s people is one that is often told when speaking of God’s provision and God giving us exactly what we need for this day.
Even when we pray the Lord’s prayer and we utter the phrase “Give us this day our daily bread,” I often have the image of waking up to a fridge and pantry filled with just what I need for that day- nothing more, nothing less.
This story takes place a few chapters after the Israelites have been freed from the oppressive hand of the Pharaoh. One of their own is leading them away from bondage and into freedom. Finally- they have the opportunity to live their lives in a way that they want, and not under the orders of the Egyptians.
But it doesn’t take long for them to journey through the parted waters and to continue on their journey before they start grumbling. “We’re tired! We’re hungry! We need more water! Do that thing with the rock again!” The people of God get angry with Moses and Aaron because this whole “freedom” thing isn’t all that it was cracked up to be.
And it’s not like they are just unhappy about their current situation. They go so far as to say that they would rather return to the horrible conditions they were in while in Egypt than deal with what they had (or didn’t have) while following Moses and Aaron.
How often are we guilty of this? We are wishing for the greener grass but once we get there, we start looking over our shoulders at what we’ve left behind. When things in the greener grass aren’t exactly as we imagined we are willing to overlook the less than ideal things from where we came from. We start grumbling about the food and the accommodations and it’s not up to par.
And yet, God provides. However, this isn’t a story about if we complain long and loud enough that God will give in to what we need. For me, this is a story that if we stay in a place long enough, that God will show us the things that are necessary and important and life-giving. God will show us what it is we truly need. We need just enough to get through that day.
Response
Today, I want to encourage you to take a few moments to really consider what you need for today. Maybe it’s rest; maybe it’s community; maybe it’s strength. Spend some time really thinking about what it is you need most just for today. And then be open to how God might be providing those things for you in expected and unexpected ways. You may be surprised with how God provides.
Reverend Kristen Koger has served as the Pastor for Children and Families at FBC Decatur since June 2017. Kristen loves working with the youngest of God’s family as she helps them realize that they have some of the most important gifts to offer the family of God. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her dog Dietrich “Bonehoeffer,” cooking, knitting, and playing board games.