Why is it I relate to Losers?

I am in awe that God would call me “righteous” and would choose me to be His child. After all the horrible things I’ve done. He picked me…amazing! I was born of His Spirit many years ago, and thinking back to that time, I remember what God brought me out of. One day I was reading about Esau giving up his birthright I said to myself, "Yea, I can relate, Esau. Why is it I can relate to all the losers in the bible?” Later on I found out what God thought about the matter, when He said in Romans 9:13: "...Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated."

Then I learned about the Israelites. When they were in the wilderness for forty years and they insisted that God give them meat to eat. Again I said, "Boy can I relate." I would not be very happy if I had to eat the same thing day after day for forty years. God was not pleased with their unthankfulness nor the fact that they were whining and saying "we were better off in Egypt." That made Him angry. Do you know what He said to them? I love this, because it sounds like something a parent would say. He said: Quit your wining! Fine! You can have meat. As a matter of fact, you will eat meat until it comes out of your noses!" Now THAT I could really relate to.

Numbers 11:18 "...Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. You shall not eat one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, 'Why did we come forth out of Egypt?"

That was the beginning of God’s teaching me about thankfulness. It’s been about 20 years and I’m still learning. But here are a few tidbits I’ve learned:

 The Israelites should have never brought up Egypt. Think before you complain!

 Be careful what you ask for...He just may give it to you!

 Be thankful for God’s blessings. Complaining will get you nothing; being thankful opens the door for more blessings.

 Don't whine! Whining may work if you are two years old but it doesn't work with God. (Trust me on this one…I’ve tried it and it really doesn’t work.)

I not only whined constantly, I complained, I got angry, and I blamed God for all my problems. “After all,” I reasoned, “He has the power and yet He chooses not to help me.” But those were immature thoughts of a baby Christian. And when I remember back to those times, I truly can praise God for His mercy. For truly I should have been destroyed when I dared to blame Him for my sin. How foolish. How ignorant. But you see, My Father is so loving towards me because I am His child. He is for me. He wants me to learn. He is making me to be like Him. So He is patient…long suffering towards me. And oh! What mercy this God has!