Shake Your Tambourine...

Shake your tambourine and shout hallelujah, but remember sin and our need for a Savior are lurking right around the corner.  In the She Reads Truth study I'm working through this summer there are several sibling rivalry stories represented. Moses, Miriam and Aaron expose one of those situations.

Miriam was a woman of conviction, faith and praise who had seen some major God miracles starting at a young age, as she watched her brother Moses float down a river in a basket.  We have moments of jubilation when we want to shake our tambourines and rejoice as Miriam did after she walked through the Red Sea on dry land!

"Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted; he has thrown the horse and its rider into the sea."  Exodus 15:21

You would think after seeing the Red Sea part you would never question God, but she and Aaron began to grumble a bit as they felt God was showing preference to Moses.  How quickly we all can forget.

Erin Davis wrote this on the topic of spiritual envy.

"When we resent and covet the blessings God has given others… 
  When we worry someone else’s adequacy is a commentary on our inadequacy… 
  When we look at someone else’s piece-of-the-kingdom pie and worry we will get the        crumbs left over… When we want to trade in our gifts for something more 'flashy'…   Spiritual envy reveals little pockets in our hearts that are still absent of faith, corners not yet convinced that God is faithful and good. Miriam needed to be rescued from her sinful heart. She needed to be set free from her shame. So do I. So do you. Because Jesus is faithful to do it, let us bust out our tambourine in praise."

Can we each say, with a sincere heart, God I know you have me right where you want to use me today? Are you ready to shake your tambourine as you watch God to amazing things?

To God be the glory, get things He has done!  He's still at work.