Cry of Moses

"Moses heard the people of every family wailing, each at the entrance to his tent. The LORD became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. He asked the LORD, "Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers? Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, 'Give us meat to eat!' I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now—if I have found favor in your eyes—

and do not let me face my own ruin."

The LORD said to Moses: "Bring me seventy of Israel's elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people

so that you will not have to carry it alone." 

Numbers 11:10-17

Ask and you shall receive.  It is a humble leader who understands the responsibility instead of the power.  We were studying Miriam today - fascinating woman and leader of the Hebrew people.  However, I kept getting pulled further into scripture to look at Moses.  This is the first time this part of Mose's story stuck out to me.  I am normally intrigued by his birth and saving, astounded at his murdering, confused by his wilderness, understanding of his unworthiness and denial of his call from God, empathize with his fear facing the Pharaoh and awestruck with the red sea.  But I haven't really contemplated the desert years.  Normally I just think about Manna from heaven when considering the desert time.  And I always remember the complaints of the Hebrews to the point of wishing they were back in slavery so that they might have a bite of lamb or fish.
 
Isn't it funny how quickly we forget our Thanksgivings after a scare, a tragedy, an answered prayer?  We start this story with the Hebrews singing and dancing with Joy at the parting of the Red Sea and their exodus from Egypt and Slavery (Exodus 15).  But it seems that when the adrenaline runs out and daily life kicks in we find ourselves in discontent and our previous sadness gets put on the pedestal of the "not so bad" and "good ole days".  And then we begin to whine.  hmmm.
 
One day my youngest son came to me with a picture he had made that he wanted to hang on the front door.  It was a picture of an unhappy looking child with the word WHINE written, a big circle around them and then an X through the whole picture.  He told me "I can't take the whining anymore, this is a no whine house now.  We need to put up the picture so everyone can see it."  I nodded very seriously and helped him hang it on the door and then I ran to the bathroom and closed the door right before I burst out laughing - he thought he was tired of the whining!!  And this is our scripture- Moses can't take the whining at his tent door and wants to put up the no whine zone sign - and God says - you think you are tired of it, I am angry about it!
 
When do we finally realize that we can't do it on our own?  When do we finally ask God for help?  And do we really want the help or do we feel as if we control the outcome instead of God?  Look at Miriam - as soon as God grants Moses help, which should also help Miriam and Aaron - Miriam gets upset with sharing the responsibility: 
 

"and they said, "Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?  Has he not spoken through us also?"  Numbers 12:2

 
Whoops - read beyond that verse in your bible if you forgot what happened to Miriam after that.  She seems to have forgotten the responsibility of leadership and had been too busy enjoying the limelight of being a prophetess.  We are all called by God in as unique a way as we are created.  No two people are called the same way - even in the same vocation.  Be content in how the Lord has called you and work as though you work for the Lord - always and in everything.  Remember that your life might be the only bible that someone reads.  I wish Miriam had been fortunate enough to have the following scripture in her heart and mind as it seems Moses knew it:
 

^"Then he said to his disciples,

"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few." 

Matthew 9:37

 

There is much work to be done and plenty of it to go around for everyone, take seriously your work but do not take so seriously yourself or become so arrogant as to believe you control the outcome, be humble enough to recognize that all you control is your own effort.