16:16-17 Complaining The people of Israel had just seen the Lord save them from certain annihilation, yet as soon as their stomachs started growling again, their confidence in his abilities to provide for their everyday needs flagged. How easily we also can forget what God has done for us! No wonder our Lord instructed us to ask the Father not only to “give us today the food we need” (Matt 6:11) but also to protect us from temptation (Matt 6:13).
16:29 Finding Rest God built in a “time-out” period, the Sabbath, for the people of Israel as a gift, not merely an obligation. Life is hard. And like the Israelites, we need to learn to stop, appreciate God’s blessings (without hoarding them), and focus on our relationship with him. Rest is one of God’s good gifts to us.