"O LORD, WHY HAVE YOU BROUGHT TROUBLE UPON THIS PEOPLE"
EXODUS 5:22-23
Life was bad
for the people of Israel before God sent his deliverer, Moses. After Moses
arrived, things got bad. Thus, this prayer of Moses. Moses returned to the Lord and said, " 'O
Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued
your people at all" (5:22-23). Have you ever had the courage, or at least
the inclination, to pray to God this way?
First, the
inclination: It’s not easy to serve God. In the work of his kingdom, things
often get worse before they get better. Abraham enters the promised land only
to find a famine (see Genesis 12:10). Jesus is crucified before he’s raised
(see Mark 15-16). It is almost axiomatic that the mark of any true work of God
is opposition and difficulty. Don’t be surprised by this, and that you
struggle. Take it to the Lord.
Second,
the courage: Sometimes God doesn’t seem to be in control. Are you comfortable
telling God exactly how you feel about how things are going? Or do you feel you
need to edit your prayers for theological accuracy? It’s important that good
theology inform the way we pray. But it’s also important to know that a healthy
relationship with God (and people) requires the freedom to say what you feel:
happy or sad, glad or mad. Read the book of Psalms – these are the prayers of
people who had a healthy relationship with God.
But keep
in mind the difference between honest complaint and mere grumbling. The
difference is in the prepositions: Honest complaint speaks to God about the
complaint, mere grumbling. The difference is in the prepositions: Honest
complaint speaks to God about the complaint; mere griping talks about God. When
you speak to God about your concern, you pray. When you complain about your
situation to others, you grip. Honest complaint, like this prayer of Moses, is
open ended and teachable. Behind the prayer is a question mark. Behind mere
grumbling is an exclamation point.
In Christ,
Playwright
Janet Irene Thomas
Founder/CEO
Bible
Stories Theatre of
Fine
& Performing Arts
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