Tuesday, March 2 - Guest Post by Miriam

Today's reading is Numbers 11 - 13.  To read a commentary regarding these passages (includes chapter 14) from Bible.org, click here.

We start off today's chapters with grumbling.  Now, I can understand their grumbling, after eating manna, manna, and more manna. They couldn't say "Gee, I feel like having steak today.  I think I'll head over to the butcher shop and buy some T-bones," or "Oh look, a farmer's market.  Some fresh potatoes and carrots would be nice.  How about some corn-on-the-cob?"  The grumbling is understandable, but at the same time I'm thinking "Come on guys!  God already led you out of the land of your slavery and bondage, with incredible signs and miracles to demonstrate his power and glory, he gave you water from a rock, he's provided manna (even if you're tired of it by now) every day for years, he's gone before you, protected you, lives among you, and burned a bunch of stuff up after the LAST time you were complaining... and you're gonna complain some MORE?  REALLY?"  I mean, come on. 

It is understandable, to a point - it's part of human nature to want more, or want what we don't or can't have.  But they're only looking at what they DON'T have rather than being thankful for the blessings they've already received.  This is a huge problem in our society.  More about that later.

Can I just say that part of me thought it was quite funny that God made them eat so much quail for a whole month? I could just hear some father saying "You think you want to smoke? You think it's cool or something? Here you go... smoke the whole pack! No, it's too late now to say you don't want to. Light up!" Don't get me wrong - I recognize the seriousness of the situation. In fact, God was so angry with their ungratefulness that he struck those who'd complained with a plague and they died. That's a heavy consequence. But it sure doesn't seem to have sobered the people for long. The next "grumblers" were none other than Moses' own siblings, Miriam and Aaron.

From the above-mentioned commentary:

Notice the precipitating event – Moses had entered into an interracial marriage with a Cushite woman. There is not so much as a word of rebuke from God for Moses, regarding his marriage or anything else. God does have a strong rebuke for Miriam and Aaron. They argued for equality in leadership, refusing to submit to Moses as a higher authority. They reasoned that because they were prophets like Moses, they were Moses’ equals. They sound a great deal like Satan, who refused to accept his subordinate position, striving to be “like God” (Isaiah 14:13-14; compare Genesis 3:5).


Did Miriam and Aaron consider themselves to be prophets? So they were, but how they received their revelations from God showed that they were subordinate to Moses. It is one thing for an employee to receive a memo from the president of the company; it is quite another to be taken to breakfast by the president, to be personally briefed by him in advance as to his plans for the company. God reminded Miriam and Aaron that He communicated with Moses “face to face,” but to them, He spoke only through visions and dreams.


To underscore the severity of their offense, God struck Miriam with leprosy. This would seem to suggest that it was she, rather than Aaron, who first complained. Moses pled with God to heal Miriam immediately, and God did so, but He also required her to remain outside the camp (as the law required – Leviticus 14:8) for a week, until she was pronounced clean. The whole multitude of Israelites waited an entire week for Miriam to be pronounced clean. (Let husbands who grumble because they must wait for their wives consider Miriam the world record holder for most man-hours lost in waiting.)

Their discontentment portrayed in this passage as well as previously in Exodus, I have to say, drives me CRAZY!!!!  But partly, that's because I look at things (most of the time) from a different viewpoint.  I'll demonstrate what I mean.  We, a family of five, live in a 2-bedroom house with no basement.  We drive two 13-year-old vehicles.  We don't go on "real" vacations.  I can't fly with the kids to Ottawa to help look after my sister's kids while her husband is at work and she is confined to bedrest in the hospital.  That's just for a start.  There are more things I could be discontented with if I chose to look at them in that light.  Some people, I'm sure, consider us "have-nots". 

Thankfully, I am an eternal optimist.  Sometimes annoyingly so, I know.  I'm a regular Pollyanna, some days.  (Old Disney movie?  Hayley Mills?)  Anyway, here's how I look at it.  Yes, our house is small, and old.  But we have enough equity to refinance our mortgage and build another bedroom and re-do the kitchen, which is in desperate need.  The basement?  Well, we'll have to do without.  But because we have so little storage space, I'm constantly getting rid of things we don't really use or need to keep things uncluttered.  I view that as a good thing.  Not everything needs to be kept in case of future usefulness.  Someone else could be getting good use out of it right now if I give it away.  The roof doesn't leak (anymore),  the house is warm in winter and cool in summer, and we have 2 beautiful acres of property; we are close to a small city, but just far enough outside that it feels like we live in the country.  We have maple hardwood in the living room/dining room that came with the house when my husband bought it.  And we have TWO reliable vehicles.  Our vehicles are old, but if something needs fixing my husband can either do it himself or knows someone who can.  Our car belonged to an elderly couple who only managed to put 83,000 kms on it in 10 years, so it was almost like new when we bought it.  Really, who am I to complain?  We're not bad off.  We have food to eat, clothes to wear, and good relationships with each other, our families, and friends. 
The people next door have a big, beautiful, brick two-story home on a hill (which the guy who built the house hauled fill in for AGES to build - yes, he "built" the hill) with a walk-out basement. These people bought the house a few years ago and renovated and it now has granite countertops, beautiful plank flooring, a home theatre to die for in the basement, etc. etc. and they just left for Hawaii for three weeks.  Yes, I like the neighbours' house.  But do I want to clean and maintain it?  Not really.  He owns a business and works REALLY hard and long hours.  They've earned everything they have.  Am I willing to work as many hours and spend as much time away from my family as he did?  Do I want my husband to do that?  No, I don't.  Therefore, I'm fine with things as they are. 

Anyway, that's my take on discontentment.  You choose whether to see the good points or the bad points.  Some days it's harder than others, but it's still a choice you make.  It's not necessarily bad to want things or to work for more than what you have now.  The problem comes in when you allow discontentment to keep you from appreciating and being grateful for everything with which you've already been blessed.

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
by Rev. Johnson Oatman Jr.

When upon life's billows You are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged Thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings Name them one by one,
And it will surprise you What the Lord hath done.

Chorus:
Count your blessings Name them one by one.
Count your blessings See what God hath done.
Count your blessings Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings See what God hath done.

Verse 2
Are you ever burdened With a load of care,
Does the cross seem heavy You are called to bear.
Count your many blessings Every doubt will fly,
And you will be singing As the days go by.

Verse 3
When you look at others With their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised You His wealth untold.
Count your many blessings Money cannot buy,
Your reward in heaven Nor your home on high.

Verse 4
So amid the conflict Whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged God is over all.
Count your many blessings Angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you To your journey's end.

(emphasis mine)
 
Tomorrow's Bible reading is Number 14:1-15:41.