Returning to Salvery

Do you ever read a story in the Bible and smile smugly to yourself and think “oh, those silly …… why in the world would you do that”. Well I found myself there the other day as I was reading through Exodus. The Israelites have been freed from the Egyptians by God and then led by God and protected by God on their journey and STILL at every sign of hardship they whine and complain. They say things like “why didn’t you leave us in Egypt to die at least there we had …” fill in whatever they were lacking.

I read and thought smugly to myself. You know if I was led by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night and had been fed with food that fell from heaven, I would not be questioning the Lord. Then the Lord (yes the same one who was patient with the stupid Israelites) pokes stupid me in the side and says look where you are and look what I have prepared for you that you don’t accept.

I have to admit that looking back over my life the Lord has blessed me and protected me from others and myself. He has provided me with freedom. Freedom from the law and freedom from the bounds of my own flesh (to some degree) but for some reason I just don’t want it. I much like the Israelites just don’t appreciate all the amazing things that he has done or is doing for me and fight him trying to live a life of slavery.

So on this Valentine’s Day remember who loves you most of all and ask yourself are you fighting to stay a slave? If so, why?