From Onions to Rings

'Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said. Then the Lord’s anger blazed against them, and he sent a fire to rage among them, and he destroyed some of the people in the outskirts of the camp.  Then the people screamed to Moses for help, and when he prayed to the Lord, the fire stopped. After that, the area was known as Taberah (which means “the place of burning”), because fire from the Lord had burned among them there.

 Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed.  “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted.  But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!” Numbers 11:1-6 (NLT)

The complainers. The discontent. The losers. We all know who they are. A drag. The hardships of life are one thing, but even when they have it so good in the natural, they fail to see the signs and the miracles from God. Even though they might be discrete in their sins against God, the Lord will still hear. He hears everything. He is slow to anger.Then there is fire and judgment. God loves the contrite heart.

Spoken words. Of course, the Lord hears and knows everything. I can only be discrete for so long. Then my murmuring becomes all consuming for the whole world to hear if I am not careful. Lord forgive me for my sins. What is good? What is bad? God knows the heart. Out of it flows the issues of life. I must know that life is complicated and like onions there are layers and layers to it. I need to learn to control my desires and my tongue and to take the good with the bad. To be truthful in what I remember. Not just see the good in things that I cannot have. Withheld, even if just for a season. But to know. What would you do, if you knew that you could never have tenderloins and onion rings again? For some, onions and garlic! For me? Comfort foods.

So there you have it. When something that I enjoy is taken away, there is the temptation, we all know where it comes from, to sin. Oh yes. Complaining is a sin. Let's unpeel that thought. When I have desires that I know are wrong it's time to pray. Those thoughts may take me from desires to discontent and that leads to forsaking His proper rest. Look at where He has taken me from and where He has taken me to. When I become weary, it is easy to compare the place I find myself in, to the old as if the better place with Him in it, is lacking.. Free? It costs me nothing and that which He provides is whole and nourishing. It's good to desire more of You Lord. On the other hand, the sinful thing that I desire may cost me everything including my life. There really is nothing to curse here and yet I both scream and curse at it.

My condition? Nothing lacking. The foreign rabble are finding fault in the faultless. Easy pickings.We were once slaves and now there is no sweat on the brow to go outside and simply gather up the next meal. Jesus provides and takes away all my burdens.

Happiness? Yet all I seem to do is make myself miserable trying to satisfy this hunger for more. I'm weak when I think I can control this thing on my own. The Rich Young Ruler could not control the temptations of wealth and refused to sacrifice everything for Jesus. He walked away. For those that do bow the knee and let Him in, they find Jesus, they find the Joy that comes in the morning. It's in knowing Him that makes us His Kingdom heirs. He will provide the next meal. He answers my prayer.

Drama?The circles form the ring that leads me back to the beginning of my discontent. Taste buds? Taste, is only one of the senses. We eat to live. We overeat to make us feel the feelings and satisfy the carnal senses.

Desires? It isn't sinful to think. My mind goes all over the place, but, isn't it sinful to think I can never be happy until I have the thing that I desire? So I must know God and know His Will. God provides the lawful thing that is so good. In Him, on the outside, the condition I find myself in appears so favorable and yet I make evil when I let my desires turn to complaints. So then I have learned to pray, if I desire the unlawful thing knowing that it comes with a price. I have learned to turn my complaints into praise and to walk away.

I pray for God to help me to see and pull out the weeds of discontent. He tells me not to plant those seeds, but to exercise the spiritual and the physical so that my mind won't get bored and go places it shouldn't go. My prayers lead me to the mountain top of transformation where the whims of the discontent spirit dies to the righteousness of the right Spirit. The Holy Spirit provides the right amount of Holy rain to water those good seeds and quench the fire of my wrath against God. The same wrath that has the potential to become all consuming and burn into my mind and destroy any sense of happiness that I might enjoy. If left unchecked, it can destroy my life in the process. 'Oh this manna is all that I ever see.' To God be the Glory!

Dear Father

Thank you for Holy Spirit and Answers to prayers. Thank you for Jesus and Salvation that He brings. Heavenly desires. Safeguard my appetites, control my tongue. Finding Favor. Stay grateful. Thank you for Your Word. Thank you for onions. Bind the spirit of discontent. You provide it all. The enemy has corrupted the perfect and beautiful things; appetite, taste, love. Help me to see you in everything and to discern the things of this world that are unhealthy for me. I love you Lord.

In Jesus name

Amen.

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