Issue 705 – Grouse – April 5, 2022
Having spent many years living in or near the boreal forests of Alberta, Canada, I have been blessed to see many grouse.
There are Ruffed Grouse (ruffies), like those in the picture. There are also Spruce Grouse (called fool’s hens because they are not bright about danger. They will usually fly a few feet and land in a nearby tree) and Blue Grouse. Occasionally, one can encounter the rarer Sharp-tailed Grouse and Sage Grouse (an endangered species).
Often in the late summer and early autumn, you will see whole families of grouse together. They act calm until you get too close, then they explode into flight, headed for cover.
I enjoy that kind of autumn encounter with grouse. There is a grouse that I don’t enjoy running into, though.
You see, one definition of grouse is to grumble and complain. Many people spend their entire waking lives grousing about something (and I have to wonder if some don’t grouse in their sleep).
The people of Israel grumbled when led to the Red Sea. They complained in the desert. They whined about the manna and quail. They groused about their enemies in the Promised Land.
Even Moses did his share of grousing and complaining. Here is just one example of many of the grousing.
And the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about their misfortunes, and when the LORD heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the LORD, and the fire died down. So the name of that place was called Taberah, because the fire of the LORD burned among them.
Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”
Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium.The people went about and gathered it and ground it in handmills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. And the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it.
Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent. And the anger of the LORD blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased.
Moses said to the LORD, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favoor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to give their fathers? Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favour in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.” Numbers 11:1-15
Our reason for complaining may differ, but we are not very different from those ancient Israelites.
We grouse about our finances (or lack thereof), jobs; our children; our pastors; our churches; our government, the weather and virtually every other topic you can name.
What have you been grumbling and complaining about of late? Are you a grouse?
Until next time, may the words of our lips be those of thankfulness, not complaint.
Hallelu Yah (Praise God)
Be blessed.
Kevin.
Gleanings From The Word.
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (for the glory of God alone.)
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the English Standard Version (ESV). Spelling modified to Canadian English as required.
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