A Thankful Heart

In school my children and I have been reading all about the Israelites, their leaving Egypt and their travels through the desert. As we have been reading about the Israelites grumbling and complaining, we have been taken aback by their constant lack of faith and unthankful spirit.

For one of the suggested activities the teacher was supposed to serve popcorn (manna) for breakfast, snack and lunch. Then she was to explain that the Israelites ate manna for forty years every day. Although we didn’t end up doing this activity, it got us thinking. How often do we complain about what we are blessed with? Yahweh provided everything for the Israelites and, even though they might have become tired of the same foods over and over, it was a sin to complain.

It really made me consider how easily we let words of complaint or discontentment come out of our mouths. When the Israelites complained about the lack of water and stated that “their souls loathed this light bread,” Yahweh sent fiery serpents to kill many of  them. We may not have seen all the many miracles that the Israelites experienced, and yet still complained, but how blessed are we really?

We are not wandering in a hot and dry desert, living as nomads with dirt everywhere and not knowing if we are to leave that very day or to stay for weeks living in tents. In comparison our life seems pretty easy and we may still sometimes forget to thank our Father or let words of anything but praise come out of our mouths.

This month of reading our Bible lessons has really encouraged me to be a person who is more grateful and who guards her mouth more. I pray we do so with a joyful and happy heart that thanks our Father for our blessings and that we remember to, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is Yahweh’s will for you in Yahshua Messiah,” 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

by: Jessica Mansager