I don't know about you, but sometimes (even this year and throughout this project!), I've been a whiny brat child with God.
As much as I hate to admit it, sometimes I wonder if God sometimes sees me like the obnoxious Veruka Salt in the 1970s version of "Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory." Veruka is the girl with the accent who says, "I want it now, Daddy!" over and over and over again (she wants an Oompa Loompa and an Everlasting Gobstopper and...well, pretty much everything!).
The problem with Veruka Salt (and me, too, at moments!) is that she forgets what she has...and what she's already been given. If Veruka could depict any people in the Bible, it would probably be the Israelites just after their exodus from Egypt. Take a look at this part of today's passage:
After our parents left Egypt,
they took your wonders for granted,
forgot your great and wonderful love.
They were barely beyond the Red Sea
when they defied the High God
—the very place he saved them!
—the place he revealed his amazing power!
He rebuked the Red Sea so that it dried up on the spot
—he paraded them right through!
—no one so much as got wet feet!
He saved them from a life of oppression,
pried them loose from the grip of the enemy.
Then the waters flowed back on their oppressors;
there wasn't a single survivor.
Then they believed his words were true
and broke out in songs of praise.
But it wasn't long before they forgot the whole thing,
wouldn't wait to be told what to do.
They only cared about pleasing themselves in that desert,
provoked God with their insistent demands.
He gave them exactly what they asked for—
but along with it they got an empty heart.
The end of this passage stood out to me--"they got an empty heart." I don't know exactly what it means, but I'll take a guess. I don't think it's saying that God's heart toward the people was empty: God is always love. However, I think it may be saying that like Veruka Salt, the people of Israel developed an insatiable desire for more, more and more...without any gratitude for the blessings and miracles God had already given them. Sound familiar?
To me, this story depicts my own at moments...but also the lives of so many people (particularly in North America) who are consumers of God and His goodness. There's a fine line between trusting God for provision and blessings (a good thing) and becoming a needy brat child. The difference between the two is really a difference of the heart. God won't love you less if you're a mini-me Veruka--but your life and your heart will feel empty. To keep your heart full and to live a life that is full of love--you have to stay grateful and remember where every blessing comes from. Remember the miracles you've seen already and the gifts that are in your life every single day. Trust me--it's better than an Everlasting Gobstopper any day. :)
Tomorrow: Psalm 108-114
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