August 4, 2026
Tuesday, August 4
Last week, we recalled one of the most spectacular miracles in history. God’s people were trapped between the chariots of Egypt and the Red Sea. They were either going to die or become slaves again. But God did the impossible. He parted the waters and let the people escape on dry ground, then lured their enemies into the breach and wiped them out. Our salvation is an even greater miracle. Like the deliverance of Israel, it’s free, it’s total, and it’s ongoing. But would you believe that out of the hundreds of thousands of Israelite adults who crossed the Red Sea, only two made it to the Promised Land? A journey that should have taken them a few weeks took forty years. The events that happened right after the Red Sea miracle come up again and again in Scripture. Over and over, people like David, Paul, the author Hebrews, and Moses himself say, “Don’t make the mistakes the Israelites made in the desert.” What went wrong? Here’s how Exodus 16 begins:
They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
Can you believe these people? They have been rescued from the worst of circumstances; working as slaves for people who wanted them to die. Now they make it sound like it was a luxury cruise with a round-the-clock buffet. I hope this story makes you ask: “When I complain, do I sound that ridiculous?
Let me answer that for you. Yes. Yes you do. Trust me, I’m a pastor. I’ve heard some of the most ludicrous complaints you can possibly imagine. I’ve listened to over-the-top whining from people who any outside observer would call blessed beyond measure. But I’ve also looked back and felt intense shame over some of the ungrateful, ungracious things I’ve said: to my parents when I was a kid…to my wife when I was frustrated…to my kids when I lost my patience…to myself (or whoever was unfortunate enough to be nearby) while lounging in the toxic hot tub called self-pity…
You get the point.
Even more amazing than the Israelites’ capacity to snatch misery from the jaws of joy was God’s capacity to forgive them. His response to their complaining is not fiery judgment, but provision. He sends them a substance that they call “manna,” a term that essentially means “What the heck is this stuff?” Tomorrow, we’ll see why God did this. Hint: It was more than just a way to feed them. But for now, take heart. Our sin, no matter how irritating in God’s sight, doesn’t change who He is. Aren’t you glad?
“Lord, I certainly am glad that my sin doesn’t change your character. You love me the same, and every good thing I have comes from you. Next time I start to complain, remind me how blessed I truly am, and shame me out of my negativity. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
