Complaining Against God by Proxy

Scripture: So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, "In the evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaining against the Lord. For what are we, that you complain against us?" Exodus 16:6-7

Observation: The Israelites complain "against Moses and Aaron" for their lack of food in the wilderness, and to feed them the Lord is about to produce the miracle of manna. As Moses receives the Lord's instructions and prepares for this, he twice addresses the people, stating that they are "complaining against the Lord" and not actually against he and Aaron.

Again, the people are complaining that they have been brought into the wilderness, only to die of hunger. If Moses had accepted even their complaints - if he had accepted the idea that they were complaining about himself and Aaron - it would imply it was he who brought them there. By twice reminding the people that they are complaining against God, his is pointing out this fact ... it is the Lord who has delivered them, so therefore complaining about some aspect of that delivery means they are complaining against the Lord, regardless of who or what they 'name' in their complaint.

Application: If the Lord is sovereign over all things, then what aspects of life am I often complaining about that, if properly framed by God's sovereignty, means I am complaining against the Lord? I sometimes complain about my job, which is a construct for distributing money by which the Lord blesses me and my family. I complain when there is nothing good on TV, which probably means I should spend time with my family or meditating on God instead of in mindless entertainment. I complain about my current health, despite having been delivered through disease and overall taken care of by the Lord's hand.

I would keep in mind there are valid things to complain about, which are caused by evil appearing through people and things in life. Even Jesus complained about the money changers in the temple, the treatment of the poor, and the legalism of the Jewish system. We can complain about elements of the world. However, there are plenty of things which the Lord has given me ... and I complain about some aspect of them. Even if I name others in the complaint, Moses points out that such complaints are against God himself.

Certainly I do not want to complain against the Lord. He has provided me with so much love. I should be careful then of what I complain against, reserving such thoughts for the elements of the world that stand against God's kingdom, and praising those aspects of my life that are true provisions of God.

Prayer: Lord, you are such a great provider of blessing, happiness, and even leisure. May I never complain against you by complaining about the things in life that are 'of' you. Amen.