Winter Chill

This past week was one of those weeks where reality really sets in. First of all, it dumped snow for a day or two. When I lived in Albuquerque, snow was exciting. It meant no school. It meant sledding and playing and hot chocolate. Snow generates a totally different feeling when you have to drive through rush hour in Chicago in it to get to work. Not so much excitement, but rather concern for my lack of snow driving practice and general knowledge of how to survive in the tundra. Secondly, work was hard this week. I am coming to the realization that this job at Children's is going to be harder than my old job. And I have a lot to learn about how to keep up with the acuity of the patients on our floor. So, the week culminated with a baby throwing up right as I was about to leave on Thursday morning, and then both the driver's and the passenger's door being frozen shut when I got to my car IN the parking garage, and having to resort to climbing through the trunk to get in. I don't think anyone saw my barrel roll over the back seat that was rather ungraceful.

All these things made me think "Why are we here? Why do I want a hard job far from where we live? Why am I on the night shift?" If Andrew and I are here for our comfort, it's going to be a long winter.

I have been reading Numbers, and as I read this morning, I noticed my grumbling sounded strikingly similar to that of the nation of Israel in the wilderness. God had saved them out of slavery, parted a sea, and promised them a land of their own. And they start to miss the food and the "comfort" of Egypt. God brought them out of Egypt to be His people. He provided them with what they needed: manna, and Himself. He did not promise them every desire of their hearts. Actually, he told them to turn away from what their heart's desires and obey Him. But the wilderness was uncomfortable. And Egypt had more things that made them temporarily comfortable. Mind you, they also were slaves there, but selective memory kind of pushes that detail aside. The bottom line is: God didn't call them to be comfortable. He called them to obedience, and He provided for them. Had they remembered this, and had they been thankful for freedom, for bread, for the Lord, they may not have grumbled against God and incited Him to anger again and again.

Andrew and I didn't move here for the job I have, or the weather. We didn't move here for comfort. But when I believe that we did, I easily grumble and complain against God. How merciful that my sin in this was atoned for in Christ, lest I be killed for my complaint again a Holy Lord who has given us so many good things. I have a job. I have a car that doesn't slide on the ice. I have great snow boots that keep my feet so very warm. And I am not to expect my every comfort to be met. In fact, the winter chill reminds me that this world will not provide what I truly need. So praise God for the cold. It keeps me from getting too comfortable here.