So Ungrateful...

As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!"- Exodus 14: 10-12

Stop it!

These are some super ungrateful folk. They just witnessed a series of wild miracles, the last of which took the first born of all the households in Egypt. All of this was done for them, so they could be free. And now they’re about two steps out of back breaking slavery and already they’re talking about going back.

Where is their fight? They’re ready to forfeit their freedom this quickly?

Shameful.

Well… when I keep it real with myself it’s not all that crazy to me.

What they are really saying here is that they are more afraid of the unknown than where they came from. The fresh wounds of slavery feel better than the question mark that this present path resembles.

Have you ever stayed in a situation way too long? Maybe it was a job, or a relationship. Maybe you’re a pack rat and don’t like to give things away and your apartment looks like that old man’s spot with newspapers stacked to the ceiling.

Or perhaps you’ve become too afraid to open your heart to new joy and happiness because of the pain and hurt you have stacked away in your heart…

When we keep it real, I think pretty much everyone can relate to the Israelites here in this situation. Sometimes we see the past through rose colored glasses when we compare it to the uncertainty of the present and future.

It can be hard to remember that the past is the past for a reason.

But it is this new time, ripe with the possibilities of life, love and hope that will lead to all that we have dreamed of and more.

And when along this new path we come across a tree, or road, or hill that looks familiar; perhaps it is time to take inventory of things. Retrace your steps. Take a look around. Make sure that this place that looks familiar isn’t the SAME place where you once were.

Even if you can not see your footprints in the dirt, it doesn’t mean that you haven’t been there before.

This is a recurring theme in the Exodus story. The Israelites will struggle with this for entirely too long.

So don’t be surprised if you read something similar to this from me again, if not for any other reason than it is as good a reminder for me as it is for anyone else.

Today’s Reading: Exodus 14-15; Matthew 17