Our meditation for today is based on 2 Corinthians 9:8, “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:” (KJV)
The Lord is able to keep us from falling, to deliver us from all kinds of hardships, to raise us up in spite of adverse circumstances, to quieten those who falsely accuse us, and He is able to do far more than we can think, ask or imagine.
Abraham waited
We read in Romans 4:21, “He was absolutely sure that God would be able to do what he had promised.”(GNB)
The above verse is the testimony about Abraham who trusted whole-heartedly that God who promised him would be faithful to fulfill His promise.
God has given us promises that we should move on from where we are right now to the place that God wants us to be.
Joseph waited
We have an example of this in this in the life of Joseph who at the age of seventeen had some dreams through which he perceived that God has some extraordinary plans for him. The promises of God were fulfilled only when Joseph was thirty years of age. During that period between seventeen and thirty, Joseph had to journey down a path that God had set for him.
So also Abraham received God’s call was seventy five years old, but he was a hundred years old when the promise of God was eventually fulfilled in his life. Abraham had to journey for twenty five long years in that path before he received the promise of God in its fullness.
The Israelites had to wait
The Israelites were delivered from the land of slavery in Egypt but they journeyed for forty long years before they actually entered the Promised Land.
We too must realize then that God has His timing, and in the mean time we will have to go through the path that God has set for each one of us. As we journey along this path, there will be circumstances and situations that will tempt us to opt out or walk away, but we have to be watchful to continue on in this journey that God has ordained for us.
God’s promise to the Israelites
This was the promise that God gave to the Israelites when they were in bondage in the land of Egypt.
We read in Exodus 3:8, “I have come to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and to bring them from that land to a good land with plenty of room for everyone. It is a land flowing with milk and honey where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites live.”(GW)
The Lord promised the people of Israel that He would take them into a good land, flowing with milk and honey, and with plenty of room for everyone. There were six lakh men who began their journey out of Egypt, but only two of those men eventually entered the Promised Land. All of them were on this journey to attain the Promised Land, but they failed in many ways, and thereby opted out of this journey.
We will look at a few things that proved to be pitfalls for the Israelites on their journey that hindered them from receiving the fulfillment of God’s promises in their lives.
All of us must believe that God has given us His promises, but we should be cautious to not fall prey to the distractions that could come our way if we wish to enjoy the realization of the same.
The Israelites complained
We read in Numbers 11:1, “The people began complaining out loud to the LORD about their troubles. When the LORD heard them, he became angry, and fire from the LORD began to burn among them. It destroyed some people on the outskirts of the camp.” (GW)
Who were these people who murmured against the Lord? They were the once at one time cried out to the Lord in desperation. The Lord heard their cries, delivered them, and was leading them on. God also did mighty signs and wonders when he snatched them out of Pharaoh’s cruel hands. He did it in such a mighty way so they would know for sure that it was God who set them free. In order to rescue them, God did not send an army, but sent a lamb. A lamb that each household had to sacrifice, and the blood of which was smeared on their doorposts and lentils. It was that blood that saved them from death and destruction.
That lamb and its blood was to symbolize the Lord Jesus Christ, the sinless lamb of God who came down to the earth many years later to shed His precious blood to redeem each one of us from our sins so we too could be set free, and chose us to be a people who are His own.
Though the people of Israel had seen all the mighty acts of God, seen Pharaoh melt down with fear, and experienced a glorious deliverance, they still grumbled and complained against the Lord.
A lot of people are complaining about many things these days. Instead of complaining about all that is not happening as we desire, and murmuring about things that are going wrong, it is necessary that we recall the way in which God has led us in the past.
God’s amazing protection
This is what God did for the Israelites in Exodus 14:19-20, “The angel of God, who had been in front of the army of Israel, moved and went to the rear. The pillar of cloud also moved until it was between the Egyptians and the Israelites. The cloud made it dark for the Egyptians, but gave light to the people of Israel, and so the armies could not come near each other all night.” (GNB)
God’s protection over the Israelites was so astounding that the angel of God moved to the rear to protect them from the Egyptian army that was in pursuit of them, and God also sent the pillar of cloud to keep the Israelites safe from the hands of the Egyptians.
Even in our lives the Lord is protecting us every day from many unseen dangers. We must acknowledge the same. There are times when we have done things thoughtlessly, carelessly, and also taken unnecessary risks, but through it all God has kept us safe. Therefore when things go wrong we should not start to complain about these little inconveniences in our lives.
God’s amazing provision
We read in Deuteronomy 8:4, “During these forty years your clothes have not worn out, nor have your feet swollen up.” (GNB)
It is a fact that when most people go on a long journey they experience swelling in their feet. The Lord was so gracious that for forty long years the Israelites did not have any such swelling on their feet and their clothes too did not get worn out. After having experienced all of this they were still grumbling against the Lord.
Let us never murmur against the Lord even when we go through trials, rather let us rejoice because the Lord goes before us. The Lord can make the crooked things straight, and hence we need not grumble or complain about anything.
How can we stop complaining?
1. Be thankful about every little thing
We read in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus.” (GNB)
A great example of this is Job, who when he lost everything was still able to say, ‘the Lord gave, the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.’ It is God’s will that we be thankful to the Lord in all circumstances, no matter how hard or difficult they are.
2. Fend off dissatisfaction
We read in Numbers 11:4-6, There were foreigners traveling with the Israelites. They had a strong craving for meat, and even the Israelites themselves began to complain: "If only we could have some meat! In Egypt we used to eat all the fish we wanted, and it cost us nothing. Remember the cucumbers, the watermelons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic we had? But now our strength is gone. There is nothing at all to eat---nothing but this manna day after day!" (GNB)
As the people of Israel journeyed through the wilderness towards the Promised Land, there was no hope of finding food, but the Lord graciously provided them with manna that rained down from heaven. The Israelites got so dissatisfied with this that they began to complain to the Lord that back in Egypt they had fish, cucumbers, watermelons, leeks, onion, garlic and so much more. Manna was given by God, and the people began to loathe it.
There are so many who are discontent, and want to have more and more. I want to compare the experience of the Israelites to our present day situation. If Egypt was to symbolize the life of a believer before they were saved, sadly many who have come out of the slavery of sin continue to yearn for all those sinful pleasures that they left behind. No wonder then that the church too is replacing the preaching of the word with all other kinds of entertainment. Manna represents the word of God, and we should not try to replace it with any of those other things just like the people of Israel did as they craved for those pleasures they left behind. Satan’s aim is to constantly distract us from completing this journey by placing before our eyes all those things that are appealing to our sinful desires.
When the people of Israel were in Egypt they had all the food they craved for, but had no peace and their situation did not change in any way. As the Lord led them in a wonderful way through the wilderness providing them with the precious manna, the people complained and murmured against God.
If you are part of a church that is teaching the word of God aright, and providing that needed manna, make sure you listen to the word, honor and obey the word of God as is taught to you. There is much emphasis on entertainment through songs, dance and light instead of the word and we must be cautious.
Let us ask God to help us be content, and here’s a good reminder from God’s word in 1 Timothy 6:7-8, “What did we bring into the world? Nothing! What can we take out of the world? Nothing! So then, if we have food and clothes that should be enough for us.”(GNB)
There were two things that we looked at that overcame the Israelites as they journeyed towards the Promised Land. One they began to complain and murmur and second, they became dissatisfied.
So many children are discontent with their families because their parents cannot afford to get them all that they want. Many women in the family are not satisfied because they compare themselves with those around, and feel they don’t have as much as others do. We must definitely ask God to help us be content with all that He has given to us, and thank Him for the wonderful way in which He has led us thus far.
3. Submit to authority
We read in Numbers 16:1-3, Korah son of Izhar, from the Levite clan of Kohath, rebelled against the leadership of Moses. He was joined by three members of the tribe of Reuben---Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth---and by 250 other Israelites, well-known leaders chosen by the community. They assembled before Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! All the members of the community belong to the LORD, and the LORD is with all of us. Why, then, Moses, do you set yourself above the LORD's community?"
Moses and Aaron were chosen by God to lead the Israelites, but among them there was a small group that rebelled against their authority. They declared that all of them were equal before God, and hence they began to question the authority of Moses and Aaron over them. Here was a group that on this journey towards the Promised Land rebelled against the authority that God had established over them.
There is a trend in rebellion at every level these days. Children are in rebellion against their parents, there are wives who are rebelling against their husbands, students are rebelling against teachers, employees are rebelling against their employers, and people are in uprising even against good governance in many places. At the work place when the manager gives an instruction to his subordinates, they wait for him to leave, and make fun of him. Let us keep in mind that it is our duty to be submissive to those whom God has placed in authority over us.
The bible tells us in Romans 13:1-2, “Everyone must obey state authorities, because no authority exists without God's permission, and the existing authorities have been put there by God. Whoever opposes the existing authority opposes what God has ordered; and anyone who does so will bring judgment on himself.”(GNB)
All authority is ordained by God. At home children must realize that your parents are appointed by God. If you are a student your teachers have been placed by God over you. As members of a church we must realize that the Pastors and elders are ordained by God to be in that position. For instance the police department have been given certain authority in order to maintain law and order in a place. Only those who rebel get into trouble, and those who don’t go on. It is therefore necessary that we submit of all of the authority that God has placed over us.
Let us decide that we will obey all authority that God has placed over us, and not rebel against any of it. Only in submission can we move forward in this journey and reach the destination that God has appointed for us.
Korah and his men rebelled against Moses but this is what happened as recorded in Numbers 16:24 "Tell the people to move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram." (GNB)
God’s command is that we move away from the company of those who walk in rebellion. This rebellion which began in the heart of one man Korah gradually spread to 250 leaders in the camp.
The lesson for us is that if we have those who rebel against authority be it at home, school, college, work place or church, we should just move away. If we remain in friendship with them, it implies that we are rebelling against the authority that God has placed over us.
What happened to Korah, and his cronies was that the Lord came down, and destroyed all of them for their rebellion to the authority of Moses and Aaron that God had placed over them.
There are wonderful promises that God has given to us to help us progress, and move up in our journey that God has appointed for us. However, as we journey on let us not complain or murmur, nor be discontent, and also not rebel against the authority that God has established over us. If we avoid these pitfalls surely God will fulfill all of His promises in His perfect time. Joseph waited for thirteen years, Abraham for twenty five years, and the people of Israel for forty long years to see God’s promises come to fruition. What God has purposed will never be hindered, but it is up to us to avoid the pitfalls of complaining, dissatisfaction and rebellion. Let us pray that God will help us to journey on, and remain steadfast right until the end.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by: Sis. Esther Collins
