We saw yesterday that the Hebrew word for murmur can also mean to lodge, remain, tarry, to pass the night, to stay permanently. When we murmur, we are dwelling on what is wrong or what we think is wrong. We are lodging outside of the joy and satisfaction that comes from finding our meaning in life in Christ.
Today we’re going to look at where we should be dwelling when we find ourselves (or our children) passing too much time in a state of discontent and grumbling.
Assignment: Pray for the Holy Spirit’s changing work in your life as you continue to study.
- Then open Blue Letter Bible and search on murmur one more time.
- Click on Exodus 16:7 again.
- Open the Interlinear tool and click on the Strong’s number for that ye murmur again. Today we’re going to spend a little more time looking at the other verses that use this Hebrew word for murmur.
- Scroll down to “Concordance Results Using KJV”. Some of you may have skimmed these verses yesterday. It really helps us understand a word better when we can see how it is used in other contexts.
- Look briefly at these verses, recording in your notebook the various ways the word is used. Move quickly. We’re just getting to know the word better; there’s no need to read every verse.
- Slow down, though, when you reach the verses from the Psalms and Proverbs. You should see a couple verses in the listings for those books that tell us where we should be dwelling.
- Take a good look at Psalm 91:1. Who abides or lodges under the shadow of the Almighty? If we’re dwelling in the secret place of the Most High, will we be able to also dwell on what is wrong and complain about it?
- Look at Proverbs 19:23 next, just two verses down in the list. Who “abides satisfied” (instead of discontent)? Meditate on this verse for awhile. We have a choice. We can fear God and abide satisfied or we can refuse to trust Him and abide discontent — complaining and unhappy.
- Before we finish up, let’s take a little detour. Go back to Psalm 91:1.
- Click on the purple “Cross-Refs” button in the “Tools” menu. (Cross-references are notations that direct us to other verses related to the one being read. They link us to other related verses in the Bible.)
- Scroll down the page until you see a light blue box with the word dwelleth in it. All the verses under this heading will be related to dwelling as it is mentioned in Psalm 91:1.
- Read these verses, noting any new insights. How can these words about dwelling in God move us away from dwelling in discontented complaining?
We can’t live in two places at the same time. We can dwell on what is wrong and complain about it, or we can dwell in the secret place of the Most High and abide under His shadow, satisfied and trusting Him to know what is best for us.
For your children:
Have a little family campout to illustrate the idea of abiding or remaining satisfied. This campout could happen at bedtime, with the family camping outside for the night. It could happen as an afternoon quiet time outside, or it could take place in your living or family room.
- Before you invite your children to join you, decide on two different “camping” sites and gather your supplies.
1. One site should be inappropriate for camping — exposed to the hot sun and rough ground, or if you’re inside, it might be in a crowded storage space, a walk-in closet, the bathroom, etc.
2. The other site should be a tent (if you have one) on a good camping site — shaded, level, and stocked with a plastic tub or suitcase full of games and camp food like hot dogs, baked beans, chips, smore materials, and fruit. It should also have everyone’s PJs, some sleeping bags, and pillows stashed inside the tent.
- Invite your children to join you on an adventure. First lead them to Campsite 1. Sit down and tell the children that you are all going to camp here for the night (or during quiet time, etc.).
See how long it takes them to start asking questions. How are we sleeping here? What are we sleeping in? Are we going to eat?
- Agree with them that this site is not a good place to stay, and lead them (with some fanfare) to Campsite 2. Ask them if they think this spot is better, and why. Enjoy your time, sharing your food together, reading aloud, and playing games.
- Before you settle down for the night (or for quiet time, read and explain both Psalm 91:1 and Proverbs 19:23.
- Tell them that Campsite 1 was like murmuring or complaining. It wasn’t a good place to stay or to spend the night.
- Campsite 2 is like dwelling in the secret place of the Most High. It’s like fearing God and “abiding satisfied”. You have everything you need. You will be able to sleep comfortably. You have food. You have supplies.
Do they want to whine and complain and be unhappy, dwelling on everything they think is wrong, or do they want to fear God and be satisfied with whatever He chooses to give them?
Next time someone starts to complain, you can ask them which campsite they are camping in! 
