As a society in the western hemisphere, we have become spoiled, by having everything in a “have-it-your-own-way, right away!” fashion. We have become accustomed to pressing a button on a microwave and in minutes extracting an entire meal—completely cooked and scorching hot. We pick up our cell phones, better described as hand-held supercomputers, for instant information about anything we can fathom: recipes, phone contacts, directions, opinion pieces, news, weather, or the population of Bismarck, North Dakota—you name it and you can find it in milliseconds. You can also run to a grocery store and buy anything your heart desires, with practically zero limitations.
Our level of patience is tested whenever those little trivial things in life do not function as they ought. You know, that little buffering circle on your device takes longer than, well, instantly, and you wonder if you should change providers. The waiter takes too long to come take your order and you are popping up your neck like a giraffe to get his attention. If this is your level of patience, how would you handle a truly challenging circumstance? Let’s say one that might cause a permanent shift in your life. Would you throw a temper tantrum?
In the likeness of the Children of Israel, would you dare grumble at or against God? Or, like Elijah, would you want to give up and throw in the towel after coming to realize that the people you’ve put your life in danger for are not really worth it? They have no interest in following the Lord and you are left as the only one keeping Yahweh’s covenant.
As believers in Christ, we are called to a totally different standard! We are charged with patience and perseverance; we are certainly not permitted to grumble. Question: Do you dare grumble?
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