I have a short memory much to the dismay of my wife. It’s frustrating and at times humiliating, but it’s a fact of life I’ve come to accept. I work at it with various levels of success and failure…mostly failure, but I don’t think I’ll ever overcome it.

Recently, I’ve been reading through Exodus in my daily devotion (which sometimes I forget to do…short memory, you know…or maybe you don’t if you’ve already forgotten the first paragraph). Anyway, I never cease to be amazed at the short memories of the Israelites as they made their journey to Mt. Sinai. Today, I was reading Exodus 17 where the people began grumbling against God and Moses for the lack of water. God had delivered them from Pharoah through a show of power and might, killed Pharoah’s army in the Red Sea after dividing the waters for the Israelites to walk across a dry sea floor, turned bitter water into sweet  at Marah, and provided bread (manna) for them to eat in the wilderness of Sin. Now, by the time they had reached the wilderness of Sin and had begun complainng about the lack of food it had only been about 45 days since their departure from Egypt (Ex. 16:1). God continued to provide the manna for 40 years until they finally reached the border to the land of Canaan (Ex. 16:35).

After all of that, you would think they would be fairly convinced that God had the capacity to provide for them. Nevertheless, in chapter 17 they pack up and move to Rephidim where they had no water to drink and immediately began complaining. God tells Moses to grab the leaders, walk out in front of the people and hit the rock of Horeb with it. Once done, water began to flow.

Before you get self-righteous and start criticizing the Israelites, you might want to check your own memory. How often does God provide your needs? How many times have you thought the end was coming only to discover that God was sufficient, yet again? I am ashamed to admit, that I often forget what a great God I serve. He has never failed me; He has never forsaken me; and, yet, I struggle to trust and obey.

What’s more amazing than Israel’s stubborness and forgetfullness is God’s grace in providing for them again and again. What’s even more incredible than my forgetfullness and complaining  is God’s patient grace to meet me again and again and to provide for my needs. Were God a man he would have given up on me a long time ago. Praise God that He’s God and I’m not. God’s grace trumps my sin, everytime. My prayer is that my rebellious heart will be broken by God’s grace and that I will rest in Christ.

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