Pastor's Penpoint - "The Fickleness Problem" - August 2011

The heat was rising off my head ... the humidity engulfed my entire body. I couldn't breathe! I was trapped, or strapped into "The Raptor" ... a loop-de-loop roller coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. I had just ridden with Leah, and I was seriously regretting doing so. Although I wanted to ride with her, it was not a wise move on my part in the heat. My lungs burned, sweat ran down my neck and my clothes were drenched. "When will this awful heat stop?" I wondered as I trudged, very queasy to the parking lot where I discovered the surface temperature was 103 degrees! Heat waves can be dangerous, and certainly zap summer fun. I wanted to wave at the heat ... wave good-bye! As I drove down the Ohio Valley, fighting nausea and trying to cool down - my thoughts turned to last winter. Snow mounds covered everything, with no sign of what was underneath. I remembered the cold bite of air when opening the door. The frozen numbness of my fingertips after clearing away the mass of snow from the cars and driveway made me wish for warmth and sunshine. Now sunshine and warmth surrounds us and we're wishing for winter again.

The Lord reminded me about the fickleness of our human heart. Never content seemed to scream in my ears, as I realized how much complaining I had been doing. Whine, whine, whine like a squeaky wheel. Reading the story of the Old Testament Israelites has always made me feel a bit smug. I'm not going to be like them I've resolved. When I read the account of their exodus and travels, I saw their ungratefulness and lack of faith in God. How foolish they were to whine about going back to a life of slavery in Egypt I thought. Just read their words of discontent in Exodus 16 after just being rescued miraculously at the Red Sea and see for yourself. These ridiculous and fickle people were always finding fault with Moses. The poor man could not please them. Their journey wasn't going to be long. He was leading them to the promised land of Abraham. Yet, here they were, unprepared emotionally and mentally for the task before them. Finally Moses spoke a hard truth to them:
"And Moses said, This shall be, when the Lord shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the Lord hears your murmurings which you murmur against him: and what are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against the Lord." Exodus 16:8

Wow! The realization of my own fickleness has pulled me up short. I hated the winter cold, and now I hate the summer heat. The Spirit nudged me. I am humbled by the reminder of God's sovereignty. He does what He will. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Paul learned this lesson well too. Listen to this:
"Not that I speak in want: for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. I know both how to be humiliated and I know how to thrive everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to thrive and to suffer need. I can do all thing through Christ who strengtheneth me."  Philippians 4:11-13

When trouble comes to us, we will not be prepared because we are so used to our comforts. Murmuring and discontent will be our lot if we do not remember the lesson learned by the Israelites and by Paul. With God we can, meaning we are enabled, to do and to stand all that comes our way. Be assured, God knows our circumstance. Let us be content in our circumstance, while He works out the details.

Blessed be the name of the Lord ~ Pastor Todd