As God’s people who have been delivered from slavery to sin and the eternal death that follows sin, there is much for us to learn about the life of faith from the Israelites who were freed from the yoke of slavery to the Egyptians. Even though they were eyewitnesses of the ten plagues God sent upon Egypt and had been laden down with all of Egypt’s wealth without ever having to lift a finger, still they grumbled against God, dissatisfied with what God gave and how He gave it. They saw as the waters of the Red Sea were piled up on either side of them and then crashed down on top of the Egyptian army leaving not a single man alive. Still, rather than in faith turning to God and rejoicing to receive what He provided and how He provided it, they complained and turned in anger against Moses. And though He should have let them all die of thirst for their foolish pride and unbelief, God continued to have mercy on them and miraculously provided them with water from the rock which Moses struck with his staff. Is that so different from us who, knowing the great mercy of God who sent His only-begotten Son to lead us out of eternal death and forgive all our sins by dying on the cross, still grumble and complain about any number of things in this life as though He, 1) owes us anything or, 2) won’t provide us with our daily bread according to His promises? How foolish for us to doubt the words and promises of our heavenly Father who in mercy has called us into His eternal kingdom of grace, or to grumble and question the promises with which He has filled the holy sacraments by striking the side of His Son with the spear so that life-giving water and Blood might be poured out to us. Rather than grumbling about the gifts of God or doubting His ability to keep and bless us in our time of wilderness wandering, let us in joy receive the food and drink He graciously provides and trust that by these He will sustain us until we reach the Promised Land of His heavenly kingdom. I look forward to seeing all of you this coming Lord’s Day.
Pastor Ulmer