And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the Lord by saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Ex. 17:7 ESV)
When things go wrong, do you find yourself quarreling with God? Have you tested the Lord’s patience by complaining?
Let me sheepishly raise my hand and admit I’ve done that.
When my family moved into our newly built home, the backyard was basically a fenced-in field of weeds. In summer, the sun and humidity transformed the yard into a sweltering sauna that demanded frequent attention from the lawnmower. So my husband undertook the project of converting the yard into a shady oasis.
Early on, we purchased a couple of southern red oak trees. They were little more than sticks, about three feet tall, but they were supposed to be fast growing. We nicknamed them Massah (meaning “testing”) and Meribah (which means “quarreling”). We chose those names because we tested each other’s patience as we quarreled over how far apart and how deep to plant the trees.
My backyard wasn’t the way I wanted it, and truthfully, life wasn’t as I envisioned it should be at the time. So I wasn’t exactly a paragon of patience.
Massah and Meribah are now twenty feet tall, around their trunks, my husband has planted hostas, caladiums, and cast iron plants. On a windy day, I like to sit on our deck and watch the leaves sway in the breeze. As an occasional gust of wind rustles through the trees, the sound they make resembles applause. Rather than quarreling and testing, Massah and Meribah seem to be clapping for their Creator.
I wonder why I so often fail to applaud the Creator. Why am I so prone to complaining and quarreling with God?
Sometimes grumbling proceeds from an ungrateful or covetous heart. But sometimes complaining rumbles out of a heart that doubts. When things go wrong, I’m like the Israelites, wondering, “Is the Lord with me or not?” I doubt he’ll give me strength for the battles I’m facing. When I’m thirsty for justice or hungry to see righteousness prevail—or even when I’m just plain “hangry”—I wonder if God will actually provide for my needs.
Read the rest at The Glorious Table: https://theglorioustable.com/2022/07/quarreling-with-god/
