How Do We Receive God's Grace?

We discuss this weeks lectionary which contrasts 2 examples of grumbling after receiving God's provision and grace with Paul's statement in Phillippians 1: 21 "living is Christ and dying is gain." In Exodus 16:2-15 the Israelites, who have just been saved while crossing the sea, complain about hunger in the wilderness and then the LORD provides quail in the evening and manna in the morning. Moses says "Your complaining is not against us but against the LORD." In Matthew 20:1-16 Jesus shares the parable like the kingdom of heaven of the laborers who receive the same wage whether working all day or just at the end of the day. After the first workers grumble, the landowner asks "Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous"? Paul shows us in Philippians 1:29 how to receive God's grace "For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ but of suffering for him as well...".