My Life: May 2006 Archives

I was in a grocery store today and saw a sign that people who looked younger than 50 would be carded for alcohol or tobacco (16 in our state) purchases. I have seen such signs that say that everyone will be carded regardless of age.

Now let's think about it. It makes sense to card those who look under 30 because some under-21 people look much older. But can they look 50? Are there any 15 year-olds who would pass for 70?

I dunno, I get this feeling that someone thinks they can prove they are hard on underage smoking and drinking merely by raising the age one is carded at. "Doing something" without actually accomplishing anything useful. And inconveniencing a whole slew of people in the process. All pain, no gain.

Your government bureaucracy at work.

The Lord convicted me of something recently (we'll see whether it sticks) and I thought I'd share it.

As I've mentioned before I tend to be a bit of a complainer. Lately my spiritual life has consisted mostly of complaints about why the Lord is allowing this to happen or why he's allowing that to happen. (In particular, I wonder why it is that I want so badly to be holy, but feel like I'm going so far in the other direction. I also complain that I can't see God working in my life.) Sometimes I feel like my prayer is just a litany of complaints.

I started to think about the Israelites in the desert. They complained. And God was not at all happy about it. They had seen his mighty works, but when the going got tough, they stopped trusting in him and complained.

What did they complain about? Well, for one thing, there was the menu. Manna. For forty years.

Hmmmm.

What would I do if I had to spend forty years eating manna? I'd probably complain, too.

After about a week.

What else did they complain about?

Lack of water. You know, one of those luxury items. Totally unreasonable to want that.

Suddenly my track record is not looking so good. I'd really hate to think what I'd be doing if I were back then.

I think about the wonders that God has done in my life. And how I've forgotten them. And how my trust in God has become a bit strained. Not unlike the Israelites. And then there is the complaining. Yep, just like the Israelites.

Sigh. And here all along I thought the Israelites were pretty stupid.

Well I'll try to learn from this to avoid complaining. It's going to be hard, because there is a lot I don't understand, and a lot of frustration I feel. By God's grace may I be at peace. And, Moses, pray for me!