Today's Reading: Exodus 16:2-21
Daily Lectionary: Genesis 42:1-34,38; Mark 12:1-12
“When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ for they did know what it was. And Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.’” (Exodus 16:15)
Happy Lent! In the name of Jesus. Amen. It was a grumpy-murmuring Lent for the children of Israel. They grumbled. Grumble frumble grumble. They murmured and whispered against the Lord.
“Would that we had died in Egypt! When we had meat pots and ate bread to the full! You have brought us out into this wilderness to die.”
Did they really want to die rather than be with God? Was He wrecking their style and messing up their game? Was He such a bad God? While they were writing their post to put on the many websites about how bad or mediocre life is, God was planning on saving them. He heard their grumbling. He would save them. He would show how much He loves them, how much He cares for them—despite them and their bad attitudes.
The Lord did what He promised. Meat in the evening and bread in the morning. The bread showed up like flakes on the ground. They called it Manna, which in Hebrew means, “What’s this stuff?” Clearly, their attitude didn’t brighten with the manna.
You think they sound bad? So do you. How do you talk about your life? Do you feel like posting on one of those websites about today’s great disappointment which truly proclaims your life average, too? Your life isn’t what you wanted it to be, your health isn’t what it should be. You can’t lose that weight. You didn’t make that grade. The girl you like doesn’t like you. She actually likes your friend and not you.
Grumble. Grumpy. Murmur. Whispering under your breath, you look up to heaven and you say, “What gives? Don’t you care?”
Unbelief. The people of Israel didn’t believe. You don’t believe either. So you grumble, grumpily murmuring against the Son of God. Repent.
The Lord saved the children of Israel. He’ll save you too—despite you. He refuses to treat you as your grumpiness deserves. No, He gave that treatment to His Son in your place. He has nothing but smiles for you, nothing but forgiveness, nothing but eternal life.
The manna rotted. It melted when the day got hot. It filled their stomachs for a bit, then they were hungry again. It didn’t last forever.
Take eat and drink His Supper. Dine on the Body and Blood of the One crucified for your unbelief. Eat, drink, and live forever forgiven. Leave your grumpy murmuring behind in the tomb with Christ. Rise from it to the certainty of the resurrection of the Son of God. He will bring you through you grumpies. He will save you—maybe not the way you thought He would, but He will save you. You’ll see. Happy Lent! In the name of Jesus. Amen.