“ Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers? Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”
Moses, to God in Numbers 11:11-15
Today is Pentacost. In the spirit of tongues and flames and other things that catch us by surprise, I thought I’d share this passage. Moses’s distressed deathwish typically doesn’t make it into Bible Stories for the Kids. Still, I think this is an important passage because a lot of people assume that faith requires either having all the answers or not caring about the questions. Christianity is often viewed (both by those within the church and those without) as inconsistent with doubt and inquiry. Yet here is Moses having a horrible time of it and shouting at God. God answers—though the full answer raises some other questions.