All We Have is Manna Again...

Numbers 11:4-6 - The rabble who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, "Who will give us meat to eat? "We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna."

That's you and me right there! Just like the people of Israel who were grumbling, we too are ungrateful people who daily focus on our own needs and forget to trust in God's provision. And God is not pleased with our selfish hearts. We are to "in everything give thanks" (1 Thessalonians 5:18) because God is always faithful to provide in His time. Sadly, we too often look at what we don't have and forget what we have already been given.

"There is nothing at all to look at except this manna." Without that manna, you'd perish! I don't like my boss and am bored at work... without that job, you'd have no money! I wish I could eat nicer food... some people haven't eaten in weeks! And ungratefulness always reveals itself in our thoughts, speech, and actions. We fail to trust in God, instead take matters into our own hands, and begin to do things out of selfish motives. We cease to be vehicles of encouragement and service to others when we are ungrateful. If that becomes a common occurrence in our lives, that means we're deceived, blind, and have much to learn about the goodness of our faithful, providing God.

Jesus was tempted by Satan in a similar way (Matthew 4). Jesus had fasted for 40 days and nights, and then Satan told Jesus to turn stones into bread. Jesus must have been hungry and Jesus definitely had the power to make Himself food. However He didn't. Why? Jesus knew that God had brought Him to that place without food, and He knows that God does not make mistakes. There was no need for Him to try to fight God's will, just opportunity to trust.

Who's your priority? Is it God? Or is it yourself? How thankful you are is a measure of how much you prioritize God's will. If your focus is on God's will, you will be thankful for where you're at today because you know you're far better off than you deserve. We deserve eternal condemnation and separation, but instead we inherit every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3) as adopted children. What more could we ever want or need? If your focus is on yourself instead, you will grumble. Put God first, your needs second, and rejoice always in any circumstance!

Our Faithful Guide

Numbers 9:15-23 - Now on the day that the tabernacle was erected the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony, and in the evening it was like the appearance of fire over the tabernacle, until morning. So it was continuously; the cloud would cover it by day, and the appearance of fire by night. Whenever the cloud was lifted from over the tent, afterward the sons of Israel would then set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the sons of Israel would camp. At the command of the LORD the sons of Israel would set out, and at the command of the LORD they would camp; as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, they remained camped. Even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, the sons of Israel would keep the LORD's charge and not set out. If sometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, according to the command of the LORD they remained camped. Then according to the command of the LORD they set out. If sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning, when the cloud was lifted in the morning, they would move out; or if it remained in the daytime and at night, whenever the cloud was lifted, they would set out.Whether it was two days or a month or a year that the cloud lingered over the tabernacle, staying above it, the sons of Israel remained camped and did not set out; but when it was lifted, they did set out. At the command of the LORD they camped, and at the command of the LORD they set out; they kept the LORD's charge, according to the command of the LORD through Moses.

We can learn a lot about God by observing His faithfulness throughout history. The cloud and fire of God's presence led Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 12:21-22) and whenever or wherever the cloud lifted, the people would set out by God's command. Just like the star which led the magi to Christ, the pillar of fire which led God's people to the promised land, did not only shine, but also went before them. God doesn't just simply reveal Himself to us, He also leads us daily as we walk in newness of life. He isn't a distant observer who watches from a distance as we struggle to crawl closer to Him, He's an intimately involved Father who lovingly disciplines, directs, comforts, and carries us as we falter and halt. It truly is a privilege to follow God because He shows us the way through His Word and enables us to obey through the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts!