Ready to murmur and repine?

(Charles Simeon)  LISTEN to Audio!  Download Audio

Deuteronomy 32:39
"See now that I Myself am He!
 There is no god besides Me.
 I put to death, and I bring to life;
 I have wounded, and I will heal;
 and no one can deliver out of My hand!"

God always acts according to His sovereign will, in the administration of both His providence and grace.

The rich and the poor owe to Him their respective lots; as do also all who are appointed to health or sickness, life or death. There is not any trial with which man is visited, but it proceeds from God.

But where do we find one who, in a state of trouble, has not been ready to murmur and repine? And what is that, but striving with our Maker? Just so does God construe it—and so it will be found in the last day! 1 Corinthians 10:10

As to the sovereign exercise of His grace, that is still more offensive to our proud hearts! Though we claim for ourselves a right to dispose of our own property as we please—we refuse that right to God; as if, in benefiting others, He did to us an injury!

The very case is stated by Paul; who, having instanced, in the case of Pharaoh, and in the destinies of Jacob and of Esau, the uncontrolled sovereignty of God—states the feelings of an ungodly man: "You will say unto Me: Why then does He find fault? For who has resisted His will?"

To which God indignantly replies, "Nay, but who are you O man, who replies against God? Shall the thing formed say unto him who formed it: Why have you made me thus? Has not the potter power over the clay, to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?" Romans 9:19-21

Here, then, we indisputably see in what light God views all such instances of murmuring and complaint; for, in all circumstances whatever our only wish should be, "Not my will, but may Your will be done."

Isaiah 45:7
"I am the LORD, and there is no other!
 I form the light, and create darkness;
 I bring prosperity, and create disaster;
 I, the LORD, do all these things!"