Contentment (Exodus 16: 2-15)
2The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
4Then the Lord said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. 5On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.“ 6So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?” 8And Moses said, “When the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the Lord has heard the complaining that you utter against him — what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the Lord.”
9Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’” 10And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. 11The Lord spoke to Moses and said, 12“I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”
13In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.”
We humans have a tendency to complain. Sometimes it’s about big things, sometimes small. Sometimes it seems justified, sometimes not. It interferes with our peace. It comes from an inaccurate perception of what we need to be happy. Strange, how the distance that separates contentment from coveting is razor thin, but the experiential effects are vastly different.
We measure life by progress. We set arbitrary goals, then are downcast when things don’t go our way. We have an ideal vision about what we want, then feel frustrated and dejected when circumstances don’t meet our expectations. We compare and covet. We envy and want more. Are we ever satisfied? Can the human experience be more than gripping and grasping for something that isn’t really ours in the first place, yearning for a place that we haven’t yet been, imagining that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, discarding blessings because they don’t quite meet the measure of our insatiable desires.
The bible gives perspectives that help us out in this quandary, if we would only accept correction. For instance, it insists that life is precious, something to be protected and valued. Consider, had there been an infinitesimal variance in experience the night you were conceived, a delayed meal, a missed stoplight, a prolonged conversation, you would not be here right now. Yet, that miraculous moment of infusion was guarded by God, the One who ordained your existence and set your course at that split second.
Also, consider creation in all of its beauty and splendor. Billions of interconnected variables come together in the perfect mix that allows life to exist. Ecosystems thrive in incomprehensible interdependence. All this by the power of God’s spoken word. That we can even sense the world’s beauty is a marvelous miracle, a gracious gift from God. The fact that we look upon a gnarly hunk of wood with leaves and are inwardly inclined toward appreciation is a marvel to behold. Have you ever wondered why mountains instill awe and vast bodies of water inspire peace? This is the result of God’s unsearchable wisdom in design.
Then consider heaven. As beautiful as this world can be at times, it is marvelous to conceive that things are heading toward something even better! Perfect community in God’s perfect presence, not by anything we accomplish, but by His gracious demeanor. We can appreciate the apostle Paul’s declaration in Phillipians: “For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer” (Phil 1: 21-22). Live or die, God has got us; we are covered either way. What more reason do we need to live in the moment with a sense of joy and delight, experiencing love, and feeling contentment.
An accurate perception realizes that we already have everything that we need. It trusts in God’s pinpoint provision. It is grateful.
Stop living in tomorrow. And stop living in yesterday. This moment is precious, never to be experienced in quite the same way again. All that we really need is ours: God’s presence in His word, and His promises. And we have each other. The day is fresh and delightful. It is both finite and eternal, tangible and inconceivable. Breath deeply. Take in the air. Consider the precious gift which unfolds before you; the people, the place, the miracle of time culminating in the right now. Thank God that he has brought this new awareness, this vitality. And just trust in his abundant provision and care.