Comfort over Blessings

       It doesn’t seem like any of us would choose to lose out on blessings, but I think we choose it simply by remaining in our comfort zone.  We are comfortable going to church if we can sit in the same seat speaking only to the people we know.  We are comfortable being a Christian as long as we don’t have to tell others about the Jesus we love.  We are comfortable helping out on Sundays, just don’t ask us to help during the week- I mean, we work too, don’t you know?

       It’s more comfortable for us to sit back or give to others to do the ministry work instead of stepping out of our comfortable, safe lifestyle to do a new thing for God.  It’s easier for us to just give God a little of our time than to press in and exert more effort to know Him.  Or perhaps subconsciously we don’t want to know Him more than we do because then He might expect more from us than we want to give.  Obedience to His will would require uncomfortable forward motion.

       We tend to see the Hebrews coming out of Egypt with judgmental eyes, after all, if they saw such great miracles, how could they lose faith, not believe, complain, or want to go back to Egypt.  I am as guilty as many who do that.  And yet, I am a few weeks late doing what the Lord wants me to, of course with valid excuses!  Comfort, safety, not venturing into the unknown…  missed blessings for me and others. L  We NEED to step out of our comfort zones.

comfortable safety

And they said to Moses, Have you taken us away to die in the wilderness because there were no graves in Egypt? Why have you dealt this way with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Did we not tell you this word in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, so that we may serve the Egyptians? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness. Ex. 14:11,12

comfortable supplies

And the sons of Israel said to them, O that we had died by the hand of Jehovah in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh-pots, when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us forth into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger. Then Jehovah said to Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from the heavens… Ex. 16:3,4

And the mixed multitude in their midst lusted with great lust. And the sons of Israel also turned and wept, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic. Nm. 11:4,5

Take the rod, and gather the assembly, you and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes. And it shall give forth its water, and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock. So you shall give the congregation and their animals drink. Nm. 20:8

comfortable consistency

And they pulled up stakes from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the soul of the people was very discouraged because of the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water. And our soul hates this light bread. Nm. 21:4,5

comfortable religious devotion

They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made them a molten calf, and have worshiped it, and have sacrificed to it, and said, These are your gods, O Israel, who have brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Ex. 32:8

Their continued complaining and lack of faith caused negativity toward the God who freed/ saved them.

And you murmured in your tents and said, Because Jehovah hates us, He has brought us forth out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. Where shall we go up? Dt. 1:27,28

(even after seeing promised land)

And all the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron. And the whole congregation said to them, Oh that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or, Oh that we had died in the wilderness! And they said to one another, Let us make a leader, and let us return to Egypt. Nm. 14:2,4

“Why did you allow this to happen God?”  “Why don’t You fix this?”  “If You loved me…”

Blessings abounded but went unappreciated.

   -miracles and salvation from bondage (Ex. 3- 15:19)

   -manna from heaven and quails from the air (Ex. 16)

   -water from rock (Ex. 17:6; Nm. 20:11)

   -defeat of the Amalekites at Rephidim (Ex. 17:8+)

   -shoes, clothes that didn’t wear out or feet that didn’t swell (Dt. 8:4; 29:5; Nh. 9:21)

       Perhaps the Hebrews never meant to displease God but were just uncomfortable with their new reality.  It is easier, after all, to continue doing what is always done.  But oh, the blessings they lost that way.  Our comfort can cost us blessings too.  Lord, give us the boldness and faith to step out of our comfortable lives…

You are always with us.  We can do it!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Php. 4:13