Lie of Entitlement vs. the Truth of the Loving Father

I will never cease to be amazed at how God speaks to us.  When I hear of Christians who don’t really like to go to church, or who don’t make regular church attendance part of their life, I feel sad because even though every church is imperfect, there is something supernatural that happens when God’s word is preached.  No need this time to even comment on my recent state of mind–you all know: “woe is me.”  That pretty much sums it up.  So what is today’s message in church?  Numbers 11, the children of Israel grumbling against God.  The thrust of the message was how we are poisoned in America by the lie of entitlement.  TV commercials are full of it–you deserve this car, this job, this promotion.  It’s America–it’s your right to be happy and wealthy.  What’s that ridiculous commercial?  “I want it all, I want it all, and I want it now.”  That’s the theme song of our nation.  So as we studied the nation of Israel, and their complaints against God, it was like sitting in my lawn chair (church was outside) with great big mirror sitting on my lap, because all I saw…was me.

God had delivered them from Egypt, parted the Red Sea, provided supernatural frosted flakes in the desert, and now they complained because manna wasn’t enough, they wanted meat. Now, I have to add here but let’s be honest, we’d be complaining too.  We often wag our finger at the Israelites as if it were unthinkable that they be complaining, but let’s put ourselves in their shoes. Yes, God had done amazing things, but it was also a pretty bleak existance.  Stuck in the wilderness for who knows how long, eating the exact same thing for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, seven days a week.  No end.  Imagine only having rice in your house, ever.  Hmmm…rice served in a breakfast bowl, then later rice served in a lunch plate, then later rice laid out on a big platter as if it were a salmon or a roast.  I’d get sick of it too, ok.  But my pastor made a good point, the problem wasn’t that they longed for meat, the problem was that instead of just humbly asking God for something, they complained to each other and to Moses instead. His point was that we err and sin when we fail to turn to God, making our humble requests known to Him, and we instead just complain about things to each other.  Can I get an “Ouch” anyone?  Yeah, ouch.  I’m convicted.

So now I’m sitting here, in tears, again, but this time not because I’m feeling sorry for myself.  I’m just realizing how I’ve erred, and I’m asking God to forgive me. I have grumbled, I have complained, I have complained to you, I’ve sulked and whined and taken it out on those I love.  I’ve bought the lie of entitlement, rather than simply believing in the goodness and absolute generosity of my loving, gracious, Heavenly Father, who loves to give good gifts.  My pastor today ventured to guess that if the children of Israel had simply said, “God, thank You for your deliverance, for all you have done, for this manna you’ve provided.  We don’t demand, but we humbly ask that if you see fit, would you provide us with some meat, just a little, to satisfy us here in the desert?”  that God would perhaps have simply granted their request, as a loving Father does.  So I sit here in godly sorrow, which is good, I don’t despise it, because it leads to repentance, and as best as I can, I resolve to just ask my Heavenly Father for the things I have need of, without complaining to others or demanding my way.  I’m so thankful for His loving rebuke, so gentle, so tender, yet so clear.  And I simply lift up my requests to my loving Father, who loves me more than I will ever know.  And I’ll wait on Him, because I know He has only good things in store for my life.  That’s the truth of the Loving Father.