Exodus: 16:2-15
After the people cross the Red Sea they move deeper and deeper into the wilderness, where they encounter more limited resources and dangers. At almost every challenge they grumble against Moses and Aaron, their leaders, and against God. Water and food are two of the persistent challenges along the way. Two months into the journey they are in the Desert of Sin grumbling. God provides quail and manna for them to eat.
Psalm 105:1-4, 27-45
Psalm 105 gives us a glimpse into Hebrew worship and how all the sojourn in Egypt and in the wilderness shaped their understanding of God and of their community of faith. These verses remind us of the ways in which God provided for them in the wilderness especially.
Matthew 20:1-16
This is a parable about workers in a vineyard, who are hired at various times of the day, but all are paid the same wage at the end of the day. This action stirs us animosity about the workers, especially the ones hired early in the day and worked the longest. When they grumble and complain about “unfairness” the landowner offers a teaching about generosity.
Jesus started the lesson by saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like:” He concludes with these words: So the last will be first, and the first will be last.
Philippians 1:21-30
The Letter to the Philippians is believed to be written by Paul during house arrest or imprisonment because of his preaching. He writes to the Philippian Church to bring them up to date on what is happening to him, but also to encourage them to live lives that reveal the gospel and bring honor to Christ, even if hard and embarrassing things come to them. Paul neither wants them to be embarrassed because of Paul’s imprisonment, nor does Paul want to be embarrassed by any of their actions as members of the Church.
Almighty God, you prove to us over and over again your faithfulness and love for us, yet we seldom seem to remember from one event to another your faithfulness. Forgive us for our short sightedness and grumbling. Teach strong lessons of faith that will stay with us as we go through our journeys. Amen.