This Wretched Place

Why have you made us come up from Egypt, to bring us in to this wretched place? It is not a place of grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, nor is there water to drink. Numbers 20:5

I’m running a little late on the challenge post today – I had a hard time deciding what to write about. There were several things that really grabbed me this morning, but I think this one is the easiest to articulate.

This verse is very similar to many others that record the complaints of the Israelites in their journey through the desert. But, this complaint is even more unfounded than previous ones. Why? Because this is after the rebellion that condemned the Israelites to forty years of desert wandering. They were on the outskirts of the Promised Land, but instead of jumping in and grabbing the promise, they ran in fear. Their punishment? Forty years in “this wretched place.”

It wasn’t Moses’ fault they were here. It wasn’t Aaron’s fault. It wasn’t God’s fault. It was their own. Their sin. Their rebellion. They made themselves live in “this wretched place.” But, they aren’t about to take credit for it. Instead they’re just going to keep on blaming Moses, Aaron, and even God.

I complain much more than I’d care to admit. How often do I complain against God, asking Him why He has brought me to such a wretched place when, in reality, my own rebellion and sin actually carried me here?

I am challenged to be much more attentive to my complaints. God doesn’t require me to always silence the cries of my heart. But, complaining is rarely based on an accurate interpretation of my situation. I am challenged to stop, confess, and praise. Those steps just might open my eyes to His hand of forgiveness or guidance in my so-called “wretched place.”