The whinging tradition

The places that the incident occurred at were named after the fact that the Israelites

argued at that place, and that was also the place where they asked Moses "Is God Amongst us or not?" This is not an isolated incident in OT history. In the OT Israelite tradition there is what scholars called the 'murmuring tradition'. This could more properly be called the whinging tradition. 'Oh Moses, why did you bring us out here into the desert? We were better off in Egypt.' They feel deserted by God and are angry and afraid. They grumble to God and God responds. They need a miracle and they get Water from a rock.

           Moses gets so concerned here that he is afraid that they are going to form a lynching party and kill him.

           But they really have a good question. "Is the Lord amongst us or not?" We can learn two things from this question.

           Firstly, the importance of whinging. How often if we are honest, do we feel deserted by God and ask the same question as the Israelites? Modern Christian tradition seems to discourage whinging to God, but Jesus seemed to have no trouble with it. In fact in a couple of parables he actually encourages nagging God till you get what you need. (parable of the widow) God is big enough God can take it. Complain, nag, moan and whinge to God. i.e Fiddler on the roof.

           But Secondly, there is more to this than getting what you want. The reality of life is that we don't always get what we ask for. The reality of the Christian tradition is that God does not offer to make the path pain free. What God does offer in the cross is the assurance that God travels with us into the depths of our pain and despair. The answer that Jesus would give to us regarding the question Is God amongst us? is an adamant YES.  And Paul would repeat that promise just as emphatically. "For I am persuaded, that neither death nor life, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus."

           I read a sermon this week by Paul Tillich in which he spoke of the meaning of the concept of providence. The word is not one that vaguely promises that everything will work out in time; there are many things that will work out to a bad end. It is not having hope in every situation; there are situations in which there is no hope. It is not waiting for some time in history when God will come and make everything right. But Tillich says that Providence is... "When death rains down from heaven as it does now, when cruelty wields power over the nations and individuals as it does now, when hunger and persecution drive millions from place to place as they do now, and when prisons and slums all over the world distort the humanity of the bodies and souls of people as they do now - we can boast in that time, and just in that time, that even all this cannot separate us from the love of God."

           The Israelites had the right question, but in the midst of their suffering they could not see the presence of God. Instead they demanded a miracle and got one. But the real miracle that they missed was that God continued to be with them especially in the midst of their suffering.

When we are faced with great pain or suffering (as were the Israelites) then our hearts can be turned to stone, and it can take something as mighty as the power of God to split the rock and allow the water of meaning and love to flow again.