Marah - Exodus 15:24-25 NLT: "24 Then the people complained and turned against Moses. 'What are we going to drink?' they demanded. 25 So Moses cried out to the Lord for help, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. Moses threw it into the water, and this made the water good to drink. It was there at Marah that the Lord set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to him."
Wilderness of Sin - Exodus 16:2-3 NLT: "2 There, too, the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron. 3 'If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,' they moaned. 'There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.'"
Sinai - Exodus 17:2-3 NLT: "2 So once more the people complained against Moses. 'Give us water to drink!' they demanded. 'Quiet!' Moses replied. 'Why are you complaining against me? And why are you testing the Lord?' 3 But tormented by thirst, they continued to argue with Moses. 'Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Are you trying to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?'"
Taberah - Numbers 11:1; 4-6 NLT: "1 Soon the people began to complain about their hardship, and the Lord heard everything they said. Then the Lord's anger blazed against them, and he sent a fire to rage among them, and he destroyed some of the people in the outskirts of the camp... . 4 Then the foreign rabble who were traveling with the Israelites began to crave the good things of Egypt. And the people of Israel also began to complain. 'Oh, for some meat!' they exclaimed. 5 'We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted. 6 But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!'"
Moses - Numbers 11:10-15 NLT: "10 Moses heard all the families standing in the doorways of their tents whining, and the Lord became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. 11 And Moses said to the Lord, 'Why are you treating me, your servant, so harshly? Have mercy on me! What did I do to deserve the burden of all these people? 12 Did I give birth to them? Did I bring them into the world? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms like a mother carries a nursing baby? How can I carry them to the land you swore to give their ancestors? 13 Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep whining to me, saying, "Give us meat to eat!" 14 I can't carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! 15 If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!'"
Hazeroth - Numbers 12:1-3 NLT: "1 While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. 2 They said, 'Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn't he spoken through us, too?' But the Lord heard them. 3 (Now Moses was very humble-more humble than any other person on earth.)"
Vacation drama - The wilderness is like a family vacation gone bad. It all started with excitement and joy, and ended with stress and complaining.
When you are in the desert, stop REACTING and start REMEMBERING.
When you are in the desert, stop LANGUISHING and start LOOKING.