Jump Start # 732

Numbers 11:6 “but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.”

Israel was a complaining bunch. It seems that nearly every step of the way since they left Egypt, they found things to complain about. They were hungry. Then they were thirsty. Then they were tired of manna. Then they wished they were back in Egypt. Then they complained about the quail. This complaining was referenced hundreds of years later by the apostle Paul in the his letter to the Corinthians. When complaining takes place, contentment and thankfulness have gone out the window.

Ancient Israel wasn’t the only ones who complained. Americans are pretty good at that. We complain about the weather, politics, gas prices, long lines, and road construction. Some even complain about worship. They’ll complain about the sermon, the number of songs, how the songs were sung and things like that.

There is an interesting translation of our verse today. The New American Standard, which I typically use, states, “our appetite is gone.” The literal expression is, “Our soul is dried up.” That says it well. Dried up. Withered away. They were discouraged, unhappy and just about had it. But what could they do about it? Instead of praying, respectfully and humbly, they complained. Instead of falling to their knees, they raised their fists. Instead of asking, they demanded. Instead of being obedient, they became rebels. Dried souls tend to pick the wrong choices.

I’ve noticed as we head towards Thanksgiving, that it seems like we are bypassing that for Christmas. The holiday shopping and decorations have trumped the time to be thankful.

The land dries up when there is no moisture. Recently, I was at Tombstone, Arizona. That area is a dried up place. Barren. Brown. Desert like. Our souls get that way when we focus too much on us and not enough on God. We become that way when we complain and forget to pray or be thankful.

God took care of Israel. He always did. He fed them. He changed the menu. He protected them. He gave them water. One thing He couldn’t do is make them trust Him and believe in Him. Maybe God allowed Israel to be hungry for a while so they would fall to their knees. Instead they complained. Maybe He gave them only manna so they would get tired of it and ask Him for a change. Maybe God does the same to us? Maybe He wants us to trust Him more and complain less. Maybe He wants us to be more thankful for Him than what we are.

Dried up souls—what a great description of a people that demanded things of God. Trusting God has a way of keeping our soul fresh and alive and thankful.

Is your soul dried up? Do you tend to complain? Do you find that you are complaining more and more as you get older? Is contentment something that you have long forgotten? Maybe it’s time to look to God in thankful prayer. Maybe it’s time to get back to trusting Him. Maybe you need to read Numbers 6 and see what God thinks about complaining. Maybe we simply need to think where would we be without the Lord.

I went to hear a preacher last night, on a Monday night! The church building was packed. The singing was awesome. A dear friend preached. It was great. I’m so glad I went. It did me good. My soul was refreshed and watered with reminders of God’s goodness. Those kind of things will help you. Staying away from God and godly things will not help a dried up soul. Get around God’s people. Get to worship. Do some singing to God. Bow your head and really pray. Pretty soon, that old hard and dried up soul starts to become soft again. Soon, it can be shaped again. Soon it is usable again.

There’s not much use for a dried up soul. So, let’s complain less. No one wants to hear it, especially God. Let’s pray more. Let’s trust always.

Whenever I talk about complaining, I get the sense that I’m complaining about complaining! Hope not. Keep that soul watered! It’ll make a difference in your day!!

Roger