We spend a lot of time worrying and complaining about things we can’t control. When Israel was in the wilderness, they spent a lot of time worrying and complaining to Moses and Aaron. You could say they gave their pastors an earful. And as they looked back upon their years of Egyptian slavery, not only do they not remember how hard it was- they remember it fondly. But when God delivered them from Pharaoh, they were freed from every kind of slavery- religious slavery, political slavery and economic slavery.
But the people could remember was all the food they used to get: figs and pomegranates, and grain- and they even had grapevines, so they could go to happy hour on Fridays.
They’ve got a short memory when it comes to what they had to do to get all that. If we don’t produce at our jobs today, we get fired- not fun. When they didn’t produce- it meant death, or not eating, or being beat and whipped. But now that they’d been freed, even though they live in the desert- they’ve should have been able to trust God’s grace. And that’s been hard to swallow.
It’s hard to swallow for us, too. If you’re a Christian, you’re no longer a slave. Your job may feed you and your family- but its no longer your master. You’re bank balance may provide security- but not eternal security. And the McMansion you always wanted is no longer your palace, now its just a roof over your head. Or your political party is in or out of power- but now it neither makes you giddy nor crushes you. None of that is who you are any longer. The pressure of that kind of slavery is off.
It’s no longer your working or worrying to obtain any of it that sustains you. Jesus accepts you whether your a CEO or unemployed; swanky suburb or house falling down around you (or no house); whether your guy or girl won or not. You shouldn’t be basing your joy or worth on anything other that God’s grace.
Drive By Theology 