I say to myself, if I had seen God part the Red Sea, I would not do what the Israelites did.  I would not doubt, I would not question, I would not grumble, I would not disobey.

no, that would be enough for me — to see the parting of the sea.

I mean, the Garden of Eden wasn’t enough for Adam and Eve.  But if I had lived in the garden and walked with God and talked with God and heard His voice, I wouldn’t do what they did.  I would not doubt, I would not question, I would not grumble, I would not disobey.

no, that would have been enough for me — to live in God’s garden, in a world sin free.

if I had seen the fall of Jericho’s walls, from trumpets’ blasts and soldiers’ calls; I wouldn’t doubt, I wouldn’t question, I wouldn’t grumble, I wouldn’t disobey.

no, it would be enough for me to witness such a victory.

if I had been with Daniel’s friends in the furnace of the king, and lived to tell the tale to all, that no harm came from such a thing.  I would not doubt, I would not question, I would not grumble, I would not disobey.

no, it would be enough for me, to leave the furnace alive, burn free.

I tell myself, if God gave me manna every day, I would be grateful for His provision and I wouldn’t question His decision.  I wouldn’t doubt, I wouldn’t grumble and I wouldn’t disobey, like the Israelites in the desert who did all those things.

no, it would be enough for me to have my daily bread, I would be grateful to be fed.

I tell myself these things are so, if only I’d lived so long ago.  I think myself so different, but I am the same.  I am an Israelite in everything, in every way but name.

Jesus parted time in two when He came to earth, He conquered every foe including death.  He knocked down every wall between God and me, including the walls around my heart.  That should be enough for me.  Still, I behave like the Israelites.  I doubt, I question, I grumble, I disobey.

it should be enough for me,  that He took my place on Calvary.

It’s a miracle Jesus loves me, it’s a miracle He came, a miracle He rose from the dead, a miracle He knows my name.  God’s miracles surround me, if I would open my eyes to see.  what I do see clearly now, is the Israelite in me.

“The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!  There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.’ ”  (Exodus 16:3)

“He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night.  He split the rocks in the desert and gave them water as abundant as the seas;  . . . But they continued to sin against Him, rebelling in the desert against the Most High.  . . . When the Lord heard them, He was very angry; . . . for they did not believe in God or trust in His deliverance.  Yet He gave a command to the skies above and opened the doors of the heavens; He rained down manna for the people to eat, He gave them the grain of heaven.  Men ate the bread of angels; He sent them all the food they could eat.”  (Psalm 14-25)

“Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’ ”  (Mark 9:24)

sincerely,     Grace Day