How We Forget

Today's reading from Exodus 14: 5-18 describes the panic of the Hebrews as they see the Egyptians in pursuit of them.  They complain to Moses for bringing them out "to die in the desert"; they would rather have served the Egyptians as their slaves, they said.  Not long before they complained about how hard life was, how cruel the Egyptians were to them; they longed for freedom and hailed their exodus from Egypt as a victory.  Of course, they had yet to experience the even greater sign of God's beneficence, the crossing of the Red Sea, so it is understandable that panic would lead them to long for "the onions of Egypt."
We are no different from the Hebrews...when things go right, there is no God like our God, but when things are or begin to look bad, God is not good.  We complain in the same way...why, why, why!
How patient God was with the Hebrews.  How patient with us.  It takes us a long time to learn that God's ways are best for us, God's rules are meant for our happiness.  A child does not like to be limited, but it if saves him or her from falling into the swimming pool, that restraint turns out for the best.
What we need to do is look back, remember the other times when things looked so bleak yet in the end turned out even better than before. We are slow learners, but God remains ever patient and faithful.  Let us put our trust in him once more.
Bro. Rene


Note:  We are going on retreat today in Long Branch, NJ...I think there's wi-fi there, but if not, that's why there's no slice of bread. for the next 5 days...but I trust God will provide...