There is rainfall in almost every city, though the amount of rainfall may vary significantly. However, even amidst cities having an equal amount of rainfall, certain cities get flooded and certain others don't. I was just browsing through why Chennai gets flooded in rainy seasons. Here are a few reasons:
Poor planning by the Government
Illegal encroachment of lakes and riverbeds
Chennai is built on flat coastal floodplains
A sudden outpour of rain, or inflow of water
All of us go through rainy seasons in our lives. For some, it turns out to be disastrous, probably because of poor planning, or because they encroached on their time of prayer, or that they are just built in the wrong place, or that the rain was too sudden and too severe. The result of such burden and brokenness is usually a cry to the only One who hears, the only One who can save, 'Why have you brought me to this?' Are you in one such place? Let us read the following conversation between Moses and God, where exhausted Moses laments to God that he can't take it anymore.
Numbers 11: 10-23 Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the Lord became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated.And Moses said to the Lord, “Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors? Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!”
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Gather before me seventy men who are recognized as elders and leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you. I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone. “And say to the people, ‘Purify yourselves, for tomorrow you will have meat to eat. You were whining, and the Lord heard you when you cried, “Oh, for some meat! We were better off in Egypt!” Now the Lord will give you meat, and you will have to eat it. And it won’t be for just a day or two, or for five or ten or even twenty. You will eat it for a whole month until you gag and are sick of it. For you have rejected the Lord, who is here among you, and you have whined to him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’”But Moses responded to the Lord, “There are 600,000 foot soldiers here with me, and yet you say, ‘I will give them meat for a whole month!’ Even if we butchered all our flocks and herds, would that satisfy them? Even if we caught all the fish in the sea, would that be enough?” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Has my arm lost its power? Now you will see whether or not my word comes true!”
Most of us love the song, 'Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care, Precious Saviour, still our refuge, take it to the Lord in prayer'. Yet, at times, we tend to encroach on our prayer times, and before we know it, burdens get accumulated, and we feel exhausted. In this Bible passage, we see that God does not think that Moses has it easy. He knows the struggles, He knows the pain. God's reply here is twofold. He gives Moses people who would share the burden and God also provides meat that will pacify the crowd that was whining and complaining against Moses and God. However flawed the church might be today, God has for each one of us, people of God who would share our burdens with us. If you know who shares your burdens, thank God for them. If not, pray that God would show them to you.
For those of us who whine and complain and make it difficult for those who have the responsibility over us, remember that the meat we desire, probably would be provided, but we would just end up being sick of it. Hebrews 13:17 says, 'Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.' Let us pray for those who take responsibility over us, and be of support to them.
Link to the previous article: Do You care, God?
Link to the next article: Is this suffering because of sin?
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