God Was Not Pleased with Most of Them

Scripture:
For I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 1 Cor. 10:1-5

Observation: What a stunning, out-of-left-field comment! Paul says that our fathers all experienced the same things, did the same things, looked the same. Yet God was not pleased with MOST OF THEM. Why? Because of their lack of faith, as evidenced by disobedience and grumbling.

Application: Could it be true that two people could do the same things, go to the same church, eat the same food, live the same life, and yet because of an attitude or lack of faith, risk God’s displeasure? Does God value faith and attitude more? Could I do the same things others do, and yet incur God’s displeasure because of disobedience or grumbling or lack of faith? God, you are telling me that action is not enough. I need to not merely imitate others who are successful. I need to have faith. For example: A witnessing program is not what our church needs to get on board with the mission of God. What we need is faith in God and obedience to his calling.

Prayer: God, as you are stirring me to see how we have neglected your call to share the gospel, please keep me centered in prayer, in asking the Lord of the harvest to raise up people who will go into the fields and seek and save the lost. Help me to think prayer and faith first, action second.