Contemplative Bible Reading

Numbers 11:1 (New Living Translation)

1 Soon the people began to complain about their hardship,

Life was tough. Times were hard. I guess so, right, otherwise the people would not be complaining about the hardships.

Let’s see, in the words preceding this verse God had given the people instructions for living. These instructions were put in a a special container called the Ark of the Covenant. When it was time to break camp and walk, trumpets sounded and a million people packed up and moved on.

God showed them where to go to find food and water and safety and peace.

Well, I don’t like walking around with a million friends and sleeping in tents either. That is a hardship, right? Then we consider being beaten daily while trying to make bricks without straw and having any worthy boy or girl taken from my family to be abused by those who “owned” me and all that slavery in Egypt stuff.

Hardship? Yes, parts of life were hard. Complaining was easy. Memories of the past were nicer than the reality of the present.

And every morning God guided them in the way they should go.

Whoa, wait a minute. Every morning? God guided? I wish I could… Oh wait, I can claim that. Hardship? Who am I kidding? Thank you God.