Sometimes we are a bunch of little stinkers! Forty-five days ago, God rescued us from slavery in Egypt but today we are yearning for the ‘good stuff’ left behind. Yes we long for the meat and bread of slavery. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as we thought. Now, who can we blame? Moses quickly experiences the grumbling dissatisfaction of the Israelites. They wished they had died in slavery rather than follow Moses.
Then God intervenes, steps into Moses’ view and reveals His intention:
Wow. Does Moses have news for the multitude—will this silence the grumbling or not! Free food just for the gathering. Daily delivery. What could be better? Miraculous provision, divine intervention, meeting all our needs. Excellent. That will finish the grumbling. Confidence in leadership restored. God even provides a schedule for gathering with a provision for the day of rest with no gathering.
We are special. God gives all we need. Meat and bread. Sufficiency. Only one little stipulation lest anyone try to hoard the goods. Moses tell them all,
Little stinkers? Would you imagine that it smelled bad enough that everyone knew who had ignored the stipulation? “And Moses was angry with them.”
How often do we ‘do it our way’ much to our displeasure when the result isn’t according to our expectations? Even if no one else can ‘smell’ our ignoring God, I’m pretty sure we catch that whiff. How often do the little things in our lives stink?