Millennia ago Moses asked the Pharaoh, “Let my people go!” The situation was out of control, intolerable, and they were fed up. I’m guessing you’ve felt the same way at some point in life. Inevitably, through a series of traumatic events, the Pharaoh let the Israelites go. They got their freedom! Free at last! Okay, now what?
Things are not always as they seem or at least what we had hoped for
The Israelites finally got what they wanted, their freedom. After they experienced their miraculous deliverance they were on their way toward a much better place. Time to celebrate and dance to the music! And so they did.
Ah yes, we’re on the way to the Promised Land, the land of our forefathers, a land flowing with milk and honey! Wow, that sounds nice. Yet, now more than ever, things were radically different. No longer in Egypt, no longer in slavery. Not where they used to be, not where they want to be, but somewhere ‘in-between.’ Sound familiar?
Now in a very dry desert place, it’s also a very fertile place for complaining. This is not the Israelites’ finest moment. Within a few weeks after their deliverance they were unsatisfied with where they found themselves; wandering in the desert.
They missed the green fertile plains of the Nile and forgot what they were delivered from. They were sick of three meals a day of manna. The scripture says they started wailing, “Where’s the beef?” (Num.11:4) It sounds like an old commercial to me.
After graduating from high school a friend and I hitchhiked and backpacked around the US for a summer and quickly got real sick of Top Ramen noodles. The same thing day in day out for almost every meal. Outside of the Tetons National Park I started craving a hamburger and I wanted it now! Maybe you want it now too?
We might find fault with the Israelis, but are we any different given similar circumstances? Sooner or later we will be in our own place of ‘in-between’- out of our comfort zone. The ‘in-between’ place is where the attitude of our heart becomes painfully clear. Our heart’s response will determine if we grow from these times or just merely go through them.
We all have choices
When we’re stuck ‘in-between’ it can be a fruitful place. A place of true change, a heart change, a change of perspective. OR, a place where our hearts can become hard, dull, bitter and caustic.
OR, what if that situation that you can’t stand or even hate could produce that which you need the most? Yes, we all get discouraged from circumstances that we can’t control and wish we could.
Yes, it’s easy to cave into the lesser gods of our culture that cater to our complaints, but God has something better for us. God desires to develop a faith in Him that’s worth having. When we allow Him to do this we discover that He does His best in our ‘in-between’ times.
