I've been reading in Numbers lately and am consistently astonished at the ungratefulness of the Israelites. God saved these people from slavery in Egypt, provided for them as they travel with manna, and still the Israelites never seem to be grateful even when God reminds them through Moses what he has done for them.
As I sat and pondered how quickly they became ungrateful something happened in me. I recognized I am just like this. I was once a slave to sin but now am alive to God in Christ(Romans 6). In Christ I am offered full freedom, but I often neglect that freedom to chase what I want. This is usually an expectation I've held from the past.
The Israelites in Numbers 11 complained and longed to go back to Egypt so that they could have the food they used to eat for free. In their ungratefulness and desire for the past they failed to realized that although they could return to Egypt for this food they would also become slaves again to the Egyptians who had treated them roughly and put heavy burdens on them. Similar to this when I long for the past I am failing to realize that going back to this desire costs me something. It costs me the ability to glory in the freedom of now. We often want what we used to have without recognizing that we become slaves to that very thing.
As a believer redeemed by Christ Jesus there is nothing in my past that is worth going back for. Even the things that were good were supposed to point me to freedom in Christ, the gracious provision of God and his loving kindness. This was never meant to be my ultimate joy.
I often look back to even when God first awakened me to his goodness and freedom and long for some of those same experiences. What I don't realize is that when I desire what was more than I desire what is I become a slave to the past and the expectations that come along with it. I have to let go of what I had to appreciate what I have. I have to let go of what I want to accept what he has to offer. I can and should be grateful for the past but only to the point that I realize God was using it to shape me for now.
I pray today that instead of looking for some experience or created thing to satisfy me that I will put my hope in Christ from whom all blessings flow. I don't want to exchange the truth for a lie anymore God. Help me believe that I am provided for in all I need by you.
As I sat and pondered how quickly they became ungrateful something happened in me. I recognized I am just like this. I was once a slave to sin but now am alive to God in Christ(Romans 6). In Christ I am offered full freedom, but I often neglect that freedom to chase what I want. This is usually an expectation I've held from the past.
The Israelites in Numbers 11 complained and longed to go back to Egypt so that they could have the food they used to eat for free. In their ungratefulness and desire for the past they failed to realized that although they could return to Egypt for this food they would also become slaves again to the Egyptians who had treated them roughly and put heavy burdens on them. Similar to this when I long for the past I am failing to realize that going back to this desire costs me something. It costs me the ability to glory in the freedom of now. We often want what we used to have without recognizing that we become slaves to that very thing.
As a believer redeemed by Christ Jesus there is nothing in my past that is worth going back for. Even the things that were good were supposed to point me to freedom in Christ, the gracious provision of God and his loving kindness. This was never meant to be my ultimate joy.
I often look back to even when God first awakened me to his goodness and freedom and long for some of those same experiences. What I don't realize is that when I desire what was more than I desire what is I become a slave to the past and the expectations that come along with it. I have to let go of what I had to appreciate what I have. I have to let go of what I want to accept what he has to offer. I can and should be grateful for the past but only to the point that I realize God was using it to shape me for now.
I pray today that instead of looking for some experience or created thing to satisfy me that I will put my hope in Christ from whom all blessings flow. I don't want to exchange the truth for a lie anymore God. Help me believe that I am provided for in all I need by you.
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