“The rabble who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? “We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna”” (Numbers 11:4–6). Nothing like a bit of adversity in life to make slavery start to look good!
We need to be careful that the trials of life don’t cause us to long for the “good old days in Egypt.” In Psalm 73, Asaph was tempted to think that the wicked had it made. “For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pains in their death, and their body is fat. They are not in trouble as other men, nor are they plagued like mankind” (Psalm 73:3–5). Later, in the same psalm, he writes: “Behold, these are the wicked; and always at ease, they have increased in wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and washed my hands in innocence; for I have been stricken all day long and chastened every morning” (Psalm 73:12–14). In essence, Asaph is thinking: “I should go back to Egypt!”
But then, he comes to his senses. “If I had said, “I will speak thus,” Behold, I would have betrayed the generation of Your children. When I pondered to understand this, it was troublesome in my sight until I came into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end” (Psalm 73:15–17). Upon reflection, he realized the folly of his bitter thinking. “When my heart was embittered and I was pierced within, then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You” (Psalm 73:21–22).
We are called to a new life in Christ. The old way of living should be gone and forgotten, even when life gets difficult.
God loves you!
Mike
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