Friday, March 28, 2014

Numbers 11 - Better Off a Slave

How ungrateful we can be. God provides us with all that we need and yet we look around for something better. We are given talents to apply toward work, but our wages seem never to be enough and we long for more. Contentment seems to be something that we can't maintain. 

Just recently, I was reminded of my own lack of contentment when I pined on about my desire to see spring come after a long harsh winter. My friend remindede to be patient and we would see warmer weather in God's good time. Oh how I hated to be confronted with my whining. 

In chapter 11 of Numbers that is exactly what we find the nation of Israel doing. They were whining. They detested the manna God provided and in their discontentment stirred up God's wrath against them by demanding meat. Even Moses grew weary of the nation so that God granted Him some relief for the burden of leadership and placed His Spirit on the 70 elders. 

The people complained and reminded Moses and God that they believed they were better off when they were slaves in Egypt, demonstrating not only their lack of gratitude but also a lack of faith as well. They preferred servitude to freedom. They failed to see that even in Egypt, their provision came from God. They had issues not with their location but deep in their hearts they did not love or trust God. They saw their surroundings and forgot that God is bigger than any problem we face. They detested God's provision and rather than asking gently, they demanded their way before God. God responds to their demands only to demonstrate His great power. 

Moses is even skeptical that God could provide meat to the people for an entire month. There were so many of them. But God challenges: "is the Lord's arm too short?" Num 11:23. We too need to be reminded that God can do anything He chooses. He gives from His bounty, but He can also take away. We are His people and as we trust in His great love we see His provision for us. 

Instead of listing our wants before The Lord, sometimes it is good just to rest in His provision and thank Him for His great love. Where there is a need we should be careful to look that God's will be done and ours be undone. 

May God richly bless you as you seek Him and as you serve Him. 

No comments:

Post a Comment