Numbers 11; Psalm 48; Isaiah 1; Hebrews 9
The book is “Lord,
Change my Attitude” and it’s convicting, big time. The first chapter is
about complaining. I didn’t think myself a whiner but this book reveals how
often I whine. The main point is that complaining is a sin and it makes God angry.
And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. (Numbers 11:1)
Complaining is common. Even Christians do it. Even the
writers of the Bible did it, including the psalmists who wrote songs of praise.
What a contradiction to praise God who is alive, active and involved in our
lives and at the same time complain about what is going on, as if He has
nothing to do with it! He IS sovereign.
Do I forget? Sometimes. Mostly I get my focus off His goodness
and purposes and onto my comfort or lack thereof. That is what happened to the
Israelites. They complained about their misfortunes, forgetting they choose the
path they took and forgetting that God was their rescuer and fortress.
Isaiah knew better. As God’s spokesperson, he conveyed the
message that if God’s people served Him from the heart instead of superficially
and without sincere humility, they would enjoy Him rather than anger Him. God
wanted them to experience blessing, not corruption. Without His grace, they
were also part of that description that says all have sinned and fallen short .
. .
If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah. (Isaiah 1:9)
I realize the same. Without the grace of God, my life
would be one big mess, and particularly the mess of being a complaining and miserable
person. I remember older family members who complained. One aunt hardly said
anything without griping about something. Another, if not walking in the Spirit
is always belly-aching about something. I used to think this was a family
trait, but now see it as a sinful attitude that everyone must guard against,
including me.
The answer is tossing it off — like a dirty garment — and
putting on a garment of praise and thanksgiving. Yes, the outward expressions
have value, but as the writer of Hebrews clarifies, rituals have no value if
they are merely rituals. God wants me to sacrifice my desire for a ‘perfect
life’ by being thankful rather than complaining that things are not the way I’d
like them. When I complain, I’m telling God that He is not pleasing, not
perfect, does not know what I need or know the best for me. Such arrogance.
The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!” (Psalm 50:23)
Being thankful is an indication that I know God exists and
that He is exactly as He has revealed Himself to be. Romans 1 says this is
obvious in creation! In other words, the world out there reveals all I need to
know about Him to be thankful. I don’t have to be a theologian or even be able
to read!
The Israelites had no excuse either. They were told what
to do and that a Savior would come. Some listened. Most didn’t. Instead they
complained. If Moses had not interceded for them, all would have died. That is
how serious is this common sin of complaining.
Yet God, in mercy persisted . . .
Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:23–28)
APPLY: I think of Jesus and am grateful. I look forward to
His return and am grateful. Gratitude pushes complaining out. Thankfulness is
more difficult in adversity and can be called a sacrifice yet being thankful
elevates my attitude to thoughts of God’s goodness and to count His blessings. When
I am thankful, every negative is overcome by joy. Just do it.
