Originally written several years ago – some content may be dated but the message is timeless.
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Have you ever really wanted a particular situation to change and when it does you find yourself eventually unhappy with that situation also? So, you pray for different provisions and the prayer seems to be answered only to make you wish it had never been answered? Well, you are not alone. The Israelites did this many times during the 40 years they wandered in the desert with Moses. The one I want to talk to you about is the Manna and the Quail. Let me explain.
As I was listening to my Bible the other day, one part of the story about Moses and the Israelites in the desert struck me as very interesting… and it has been on my mind ever since. I have come to know that when something stays on my mind like this it is God telling me to share it with all of you. So, I am here to share it now.
Let me give you a bit of history first. The Lord was with the Israelites and Moses in all their 40 years of wanderings. He led them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. When the cloud set down the Israelites pitched their tents and stayed there for as long as the Lord said so. When it was time to leave the area the pillar of cloud would rise, and they would follow until it came to rest again. This is how they were led by the Lord for those 40 years. So, this part of the story begins as they leave the area called the “Mountain of the Lord” which is Mount Sanai. Here is the scripture:
The Israelites Leave Sinai
11 “ On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle of the covenant law. 12 Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran. 13 They set out, this first time, at the Lord’s command through Moses.” …
33 “So they set out from the mountain of the Lord and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest. 34 The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.
35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,
“Rise up, Lord!
May your enemies be scattered;
may your foes flee before you.”
36 Whenever it came to rest, he said,
“Return, Lord,
to the countless thousands of Israel.”
The next paragraph in Chapter 11 talks about how the Israelites began to complain – yet again – about their hardships… this happened quite often… Read on…
Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord, and when he heard them, his anger was aroused. Then fire from the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. 2 When the people cried out to Moses, he prayed to the Lord and the fire died down. 3 So that place was called Taberah,[a] because fire from the Lord had burned among them.
Now Moses was always going to the Lord for the Israelites. They would be happy for a while then start their grumbling again. After the fire situation, then there were a few “troublemakers” which the scriptures calls “rabble” who started the next bunch of trouble. Read on…
Quail From the Lord
4 The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. 6 But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”
So as the story goes, God provides the quail, but first Moses gets really real with God. I love the dialogue that Moses has with God. He just lays it on the line. Moses believed and trusted that God would hear his worries and knew it was safe to go to God and be as real as he needed to be. So, he goes to tell God that the burden of these 600,000 plus people is too great for him alone. God provides a solution. However, the folks that wanted something other than manna to eat, didn’t fare too well. You can read the entire story here. It is well worth the read and it won’t take that long to read it. It might make you stop and think before you ask for something else.
I said all that and shared that part of scripture to say this…
God is a Big God and can handle any problem you have. Go to God with your worries. Be real with God. Don’t sugar coat anything. He already knows your heart and your soul. He created you. You might think things through before asking for something else. God can make any situation or circumstance work “together for your good”.
Romans 8:28 – 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
He wants a dialogue with you though. He wants you to come to Him and pour your heart out with worry to Him or come to Him rejoicing and thanking Him for good things… and sometimes the “not so good” things. He may not send manna to fall with the dew as He did for the Israelites … but He could … He probably won’t send fire down from Heaven to consume anything … but He could … He may not send a heap of quail to your front yard… but He could. He is the Great I AM! He just wants you to be real and trust Him for your provision and well-being. He is always waiting for you. He loves you so much! He calls you His beloved.
This song is a fantastic song about all the things that God is to us. Please listen to it.
Song – I Am – Mark Schultz
Leah,
Le**@My*******.com
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