Embracing Change: The Lessons from the Israelites in the Desert

Change, as they say, is the only constant in life. From the time we are born we are changing as we grow.  Over the next several weeks we will be reading from the book of Exodus as we explore the life of Moses and the Israelites journey through the desert.  These stories offer an illuminating example of how humans often resist change, even when it promises a brighter future. A particular passage in Exodus highlights this very human reaction:

"The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” (Exodus 16:2-3)

At first glance, the Israelites' complaint might seem unreasonable. After all, they had just been liberated from the brutal clutches of Pharaoh, set free from generations of enslavement. Yet, here they were, longing for the very bondage they had just escaped from. Why?

Fear of the Unknown

Humans are creatures of habit. The familiar, no matter how imperfect, provides comfort. The Israelites reminisced about the pots of meat and loaves of bread, forgetting the heavy price they paid for them. This isn't an isolated incident in human history. How often do we, too, glamorize the past and overlook the chains that bound us? What chains do we shackle ourselves too?

Churches and The Fear of Growth

Fast forward to today's churches. Isn't it ironic that the very institutions meant to foster faith sometimes showcase a lack of it? Especially in growing churches, we see individuals who participated in the growth they are experience become the very ones who start working against it or struggle with the changes that accompany that growth. 

Just like the Israelites in the wilderness, church members sometimes fear the loss of the "good old days” which were never actually that good.  These past memories are often the best moments of the past or the comfortable parts of the past.  They become attached to rituals, traditions, or a particular way of doing things, even when God is ushering in a new era of growth and transformation. In this fear and resistance, the beauty of God's current work becomes obscured by the shackles that we bind ourselves with.

Looking Forward, Not Backward

We must remember that growth, whether personal or collective, often comes with growing pains. Instead of being enslaved by old habits or a yearning for the "way things were," we should focus on the promise of the future. Just as God had a plan for the Israelites, promising them a land flowing with milk and honey, He has plans for every congregation.

It's essential to trust the journey and embrace change, even when it feels uncomfortable. In doing so, we not only honor God's plan for us but also allow ourselves to witness the full beauty of His work in our lives and our communities.

The story from Exodus serves as a potent reminder for all of us, especially those within the church. It beckons us to trust in God's plan, to avoid romanticizing the past, and to wholeheartedly embrace the promise of the future. As we navigate our own wildernesses, let us remember to focus on God's blessings and the new opportunities before us rather than yearn for the chains of yesterday.