People tend to associate really closely with certain characters in books or movies. Certain figures are so much like them that they tend to be wrapped up in the story line, on the edge of their seat waiting for the story to resolve. For me, Simba was always the character I associated with. I'm not sure if I've ever watched Lion King and not felt a total connection to him. It's weird, but he's a ginger and I'm a ginger so it just might make sense.
If we were going to get all intense, which we are, I'd say that I closely associate with characters in the Bible. Mine is not David, the warrior poet musician who was truly a man after God's heart. Mine's not Moses or Abraham or any of the famous ones who are renowned for what they've done. If I'm going to be honest, the character that most fits me is the nation of Israel, not the guy but the nation.
Is that cheating? If it is, I apologize, but the association remains. Time after time after time, God's grace covers Israel despite how forgetful they are, turning away from the one who rescued them. I am Israel. To prove this, I'm substituting my name for the Israelites in these verses and substituting sin for Egypt
"God looked on [Ben] and was concerned about him." - Exodus 2:25
"The cry of [Ben] has reached me, and I have seen the way [sin] is oppressing him." - Exodus 3:9
God saved me from my sin! Yay!
"[Ben] did just what the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron." - Exodus 12:50
Yay, God's good, I'm good!
"[Ben} said to them, "If only I had died by the Lord's hand in [sin]! There I sat around pots of meat and ate all that I wanted, but you have brought me out into this desert to starve me to death." - Exodus 16:3
Wait, wasn't this when I was doing what the Lord commanded? What happened? God saved me from my sin, rescued me from my hopelessness, did great miracles, and I'm sitting in freedom wishing that I could be a slave again? See, I don't realize that freedom didn't mean painlessness or lack of hardship. My fetters were taken from me, but a desert has been added. I'm expecting ease and comfort, but God had different plans. And I want out.
And thus starts the never ending story of God rescuing me from my hopelessness, me turning from Him, me realizing that life without Him sucks, and crying out for Him again. When do I get it? I keep turning from the source of all light, I keep turning from the perfect one, because I don't get it! I'm on fire at one point, and I'm fleeing at the next moment. But that's not where I'm focusing. Because even though I keep turning, God's grace keeps receiving me.
"He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to [Ben]. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God." - Psalm 98:3
"He will redeem [Ben] from all his iniquities." - Psalm 130:8
Bottom line. My hope rests in Jesus' steadfast love and patience for me, a wayward sinner much like his wayward nation.
All praises to the one who continues to restore and redeem the wayward; who continues to pour His unfailing love upon His children
