Give Ear

Grumbling was the Israelites habitual vocabulary, and it is too often mine, not thanksgiving. Grumbling bubbled out of their hearts against their leader, but repeatedly Moses warned them that they were grumbling against God, for the things they were grumbling about Moses had no power to change and he was suffering all the same deprivations of basic needs as they were.

God answered Moses’ cry for help at Marah by giving him a log to put in the impotable water and it became sweet. At that point, the moment of provision, it says The LORD tested them, saying “If you will diligently listen to the voice of your LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer.” And then it says they came to Elim, where there was an abundance of water and palm trees for shade. God’s instruction was sealed by a luxurious provision, a healing balm from their wilderness hardships and an impetus for their faith, a sign that he would always provide. The Garden of Eden all over again: they were provided for and God gave them a rule to see if they would they would love Him as their God or focus on their creature comforts. The LORD tested their hearts again a little later using food, by providing food for them with instructions for exactly how they should gather it, to see “whether they will walk in my law or not.” Even without knowing the details, you know they flunked. The people quarreled with Moses again at Rephidim, over water—again—and Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?”

So the LORD tests us to see if we will give ear to his commandments and trust him, whether regardless of circumstances, we will look to him with expectant thanksgiving. Humans test the LORD by challenging his authority, his Godness, and doubting his love.

The LORD’s testing me is good and right, and apart from his provision of a Saviour, I fail.

My testing the LORD is sin.

“Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins…” among others, sins of withholding my ears instead of giving them over to his commandments and his healing; sins of lifting up a voice of grumbling and quarreling instead of thanksgiving. The moment of provision is at once the moment of healing and the moment of testing. I have occasion to “give ear” if you will, at least three times a day! And so many more.