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February 4
Our Bible reading today is in Exodus 16,17,18.
It will be obvious in our reading today that God is ever listening to His own...ever watching what we are doing as His witnesses, His servants...His children.
That truth can be comforting at times...and we praise Him for His alertness to our needs...knowing us so intimately...that He responds with ample help, and
sufficient grace ...to meet our needs right on heaven’s time...
even before we direct our sober prayers heavenward.
But sometimes...the fact that our God knows...everything...that I say and do ...that is disturbing.
But... that “disturbance” is a good thing...a GOD-THING.”
God sees when we are choosing to leave Him, for a little bit or for some time. And by the work of the Holy Spirit, “God disturbs” us, convicts us, to a “healthy fear/awe/and love of the Lord” that turns us back to Him...not just getting back to religious duty...but rather getting us back to rending our hearts instead of our cloaks.
NOW to the text...A little over a month into the exodus journey, we read that the “whole congregation of the people of Israel” grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness”...that was a congregation of over 600,000 Israelite men complaining about Moses and Aaron’s poor leadership.
That’s a lot of grumbling in church. Maybe the Pastor and his associate should have resigned...except, that wasn't in God’s plan.
Let’s listen and learn.
The Bible says that the people were thirsty and hungry. (Maybe the snacks for the kids were all gone and the “sweet water” of Mara was getting low.)
Just guessing.
And the congregation blamed Moses and Aaron for their uncomfortable condition.
Perhaps their stores were depleting...perhaps some had not been as disciplined in the wise consumption of the food they had brought from Egypt.
Or, more than likely, self-absorbed worry and anger was moving in to take the place...of faith in God’s providing.
“Been there...done that!”
SO...Moses firmly taught the people that their grumbling had been understood by God as “nothing less” than their calling “His faithfulness” into question.
Oh friends...May the fear of the Lord in us guard us always from accusing our Savior of unfaithfulness to us.
He has been more than faithful to you and me and ours...even when we were the unfaithful ones...He stepped up for us.. Praise His Name!
And what else could Moses and Aaron have said to those 600,000 who grumbled and questioned their motives?
“Did not God send me to be His instrument for deliverance? Did not God give Aaron to aid me in this redemptive work? Isn't God still leading the Israelite procession with His cloud by day and His fire by night?
And were we God’s appointed servants for this part of His work with His people? Yes!
Not perfect servants...absolutely not....but entirely God’s...for His use only.
They had put themselves “out there” for the people. Moses and Aaron had left their spouses and children to come to Egypt...Which was not a “Jewish friendly” place to be.
...and yet...
They were willing to intercede for Israel before Pharoah...who had already proven to be arrogantly and murderously against the Israelite people. But God’s servants walked right into the way of danger for the sake of their countrymen and the glory of their faithful God.
What a picture of a great deliverer Moses makes. But better still...what a great Foreshadowing of the greatest deliverer...Jesus Christ...the bread of life for the hungry...the refreshing water of life for the thirsty...Come eat...Come drink...I give eternal life...to those who believe me.
Enjoy the rest of the story.
