A Month Of Thankfulness - God's Grace

The book of Numbers gets its name from the numbering or counting of the children of Israel during their wandering in the desert.  During this process, God instructed Moses in the counting of the people and assigning them their specific duties.

Numbers is an amazing book, but to my mind, the book of Numbers can also be taken to show the number of times the people of Israel murmured against God. And even though they provoked Him to wrath, yet He saved some of them and continued to give them victory over their enemies. 

When I think of the number of times I murmur and complain over insignificant things: it's too hot, it's too cold, it's raining, it's not raining. I am amazed that God still puts up with me. 

 Why? Because He is a God of love, a God of forgiveness. Each time the people rebelled and God threatened to wipe them out, Moses, their leader, interceded for them and God spared them. Today, I too have an intercessor. His name is Jesus Christ. "And if any man sin , we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2: 1 -2).

So this week my thankfulness is for God's grace. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish , but have everlasting life" (John 3 : 16).

Does that mean I can murmur and complain as much as I please? No. Rather, when I am thankful for His love and His grace, I will cease to complain because I know that He loves me, and just as He took care of His children in the wilderness, provided for them, guided them and gave them victory over their enemies, He is doing the same for me. 

Accept the gift of His grace today, and be thankful.  

Related articles

• January 6: God's grace
• Numbers Chapter 20
• A Month Of Thankfulness

The Dangers of Complaining

How many times have you heard someone complaining about something and in order to show sympathy you joined in with them?


"Oh, this job is wearing me out."


"Me, too. It gets harder everyday."


"Boy, it's so hot today."


"Yeah, I wish it would rain. When was the last time we had rain?"


"Whew!" shaking your umbrella and removing your jacket, "that is some downpour. Traffic was so slow. I knew I'd be late ..."


Does that sound familiar? Could you imagine God having to listen to that multiplied by billions everyday? We must be wearing Him down!


The children of Israel had been subjected to cruel and inhumane conditions under the hand of Pharaoh. They cried out to God for deliverance and God intervened by sending them Moses and Aaron to bring them out of Egypt. But no sooner had they escaped from Pharaoh, they began to murmur and complain. Listen to them: "Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone 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" (Exodus 14 : 12).

Did they really say that? Yes, they did. They had experienced all the amazing miracles that God had performed by the hands of Moses, but now when it seemed like Pharaoh's armies would overtake them, they lashed out at Moses. And they continued to do that even after God had parted the Red Sea and made a way for them out of no way.

Are we any different from the Israelites? I am shaking my head, no. I know that I complain when I shouldn't. I give in to fear instead of faith, doubt instead of certainty, worry instead of prayer. Do you? The Bible tells us, "Do all things without complaining and disputing" (Philippians 2: 14).

Remember what Joshua did when he wanted to take the city of Jericho? "He commanded the people, Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!" (Joshua 6 : 10) Sometimes we have to "be still" and allow God to perform His work, because if we open our mouths and complain, we may stifle His purpose for our lives.