Ungrateful Hearts!

The book of Numbers depicts the failure of the people of God.  No wonder this book is called the book of murmurings. As the book of Numbers opens, we see the beautiful plan of God in action.  God had brought the people of God out of the land of Egypt and had transformed them into a nation!  God gave them laws and provided for sinful men to meet God by establishing the system of sacrifices.  More than anything, God Himself dwelt among them to guide them into the promised land.  The Lord was ready to drive out those nations so that Israel can inherit the land of their destiny!  After the Garden of Eden, I believe this is indeed a sorrowful moment in the history of Israel.  It is just over a year after the parting of the Red Sea and the great escape from the Pharaoh.  So soon, the people had forgotten the mighty works of God!  

As soon as the people started moving, they started complaining!  They looked at manna with contempt.  Then they wanted meat. Their dissatisfaction knew no bounds. When the twelve spies returned from Canaan, the Bible says that all the people wept (Num. 14:1).  Just imagine the noise of the weeping of three million people! They refused to enter the promised land,  the land flowing with milk and honey.  God was giving them the land that He promised Abraham, their forefather.  But the people wanted to set up another leader to return to Egypt, to their bondage!  They called the good land as land that devours its inhabitants (Num. 13:32).  The people lost their blessing entirely because of their ingratitude.  The Lord said none of them would enter the promised land.  When we read about the failure of the Israelites, there is a lesson for us.  Every time I am dissatisfied with something in my life, I am identifying with the Israelites. Every time I refuse to take a step of faith, I am identifying with the Israelites.  Every time I fail to appreciate God's provision and God's guidance, I am like the Israelites.  An ungrateful heart will lead to an unimaginable loss of blessing.

My friend, every time you murmur, remember that the Lord is listening.  When we do not thank God for His blessings, it means we are treating His gifts with contempt.  Learn to count the blessings every day with a grateful heart, for many do not have what we have.  Unless we develop a thankful heart, we cannot inherit God's blessings!

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