Cravings & Death

And they ate and were well filled,
for he gave them what they craved.
But before they had satisfied their craving,
while the food was still in their mouths,
The anger of God rose against them,
and he killed the strongest of them
and laid low the young men of Israel.

In spite of all this, they still sinned;
despite his wonders, they did not believe.
So he made their days vanish like a breath,
and their years in terror.
When he killed them, they sought him;
they repented and sought God earnestly.
They remembered that God was their rock,
the Most High God their redeemer.
But they flattered him with their mouths;
they lied to him with their tongues.
Their heart was not steadfast toward him;
they were not faithful to his covenant.
Yet he, being compassionate,
atoned for their iniquity
and did not destroy them;
He restrained his anger often
and did not stir up all his wrath.
He remembered that they were but flesh,
a wind that passes and comes not again.

Psalm 78:29-39

The children of Israel craved food, so God not only gave it to them, He caused bread (the "bread of the angels") and meat to rain down on them in abundance.

So He let them have what they craved, and while their satisfaction was still in their mouths, He killed the best of them.

The history of God's dealing with His children is full of mercy, but don't forget that it is full of His judgment, too. As I consider my own cravings, and when I think of God's letting me have them, I ought to consider carefully the warnings of Scripture.