In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’S hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” . . . The LORD said to Moses, “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.'” That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat.”

Devotion based on Exodus 16:2,3,11-15

We are all good at complaining. In whatever way God blesses us, we’re likely to find something wrong. “I have to get up so early.” “I waited in line forever!” “The weather is too hot…too cold…too wet…too dry.”

The Bible reading today from the book of Exodus takes us to the time when God had rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. After walking some distance in the desert, they started to complain. They missed the food they had as slaves in Egypt. Sure, the Lord had just freed them from slavery, but with complaining hearts, they wondered what he was going to do for them now.

The Lord didn’t forget his people; he continued to provide what they needed. He sent quail in the evening to feed them. In the morning, he gave them bread to eat.

We are so ready to complain and forget God’s goodness! Yet, our amazing Lord continues to bless us. He provides everything we need.

The best of all his gifts is our Savior. In love, he gave Jesus. Jesus complained about nothing—even when he was unjustly nailed to the cross. On that cross, he suffered for all our complaining and paid for all our sins. Through Jesus, our Father has given us everything we need spiritually—his forgiveness, his love, his eternal life.

No complaint about that!

Prayer: