Despised Blessings Or Are We Thankful?
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin Articles
It may sound strange but one can receive a blessing and at the same time despise it. Beyond question, this is exactly what happened to ancient Israel as they wandered in the wilderness before entering the land of Canaan. The blessings God had given them were manifold. They needed leadership; God provided it (Exodus 14-16). They were hungry; God fed them (Exodus 16:11-21).
God, who made man, knew the kind of food man’s body needed and He knew the importance of daily provisions. Therefore He sent manna to sustain His people’s need. It was bread from heaven sent six days a week (Exodus 16:26). It’s substance was “a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground.” (Exodus 16:14 ESV) .
Manna was “like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey” (Exodus 16:31). In the book of Numbers, the text tells that manna could be ground in mills, boiled in pots, and made into cakes, “and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil” (Numbers 11:8).
So how was this blessing from God received? The people complained, “But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at” (Numbers 11:6 ESV).
Are we any different today than the people of ancient Israel? We have the Lord and salvation (Titus 2:11); the Bible and a knowledge of things that even angels desired to know (1 Peter 1:12); the privilege of assembling with the household of faith for worship (Hebrews 10:25); the avenue of prayer through Christ (Matthew 7:7-8; Matthew 21:22; Mark 11:24; Luke 11:9-13; John 14:13-14; John 15:7,16; John 16:23-24; James 1:5; 1 John 3:22; 1 John 5:14-15).
The list could go on and on to include all spiritual blessings (Ephesians 1:3). So what do we do? We neglect the study of the Scriptures; forsake the assembly; fail to pray; and thus live beneath our privileges.
The question we need to ponder is:
Do we thank God for His rich blessings (John 3:37; Colossians 3:15; 1 Timothy 4:3-4; James 1:17), or do we despise what He has given each one of us? (Romans 1:21).
May we reflect on this article and humbly thank God for all the blessings he continually bestows upon us as His children (Matthew 5:44-45; Acts 14:17; Acts 17:24-25,28; Ephesians 1:3).