From Grumbling to Thanksgiving

When the Egyptians came to the Red Sea to attack Israel, they had weapons. Israel had God, and He defeated Egypt. Do you think Israel trusted God after that? Not really. Moses listened to their whining and complaining, "What will we eat? What will we drink? Where is God? Where's the meat?" Sounds like a bunch of kids doesn't it?

I'm trying to get a picture of this: More than 600,000 people in the desert. No McDonalds, no Starbucks and no Diet Coke. I probably would have complained too. Yet God drew water out of a rock, manna from Heaven and quail flew into Israel's hands. The Israelite's clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.

Application
We can be thankful because God really cares about His people. Jesus said, "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (Matthew 6:25-26 NIV)

Prayer
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for loving us and providing for us and protecting us. We could not live a minute or an hour or a day without your love. Amen.

Any Old Bush Will Do

Although Moses was Hebrew, he grew up in Pharaoh's palace as the king's own son. At the age of forty, educated and eloquent in speech, filled with pride and power, he thought he would save his people from slavery, but God had a different plan.


After an Egyptian caught Moses in murder, he fled to Midian where he became a shepherd, married Zipporah and had two sons. All his education, power and eloquence came to nothing. He traded his royalty for life in the desert, but God wasn't finished with him. He showed up in the fire of a bush that didn't burn up to command Moses to return to Egypt.


"I have seen the misery of my people and heard their cries. I have come to rescue them from the hands of the Egyptians and lead them to a spacious land flowing with milk and honey."


"Who am I?" Moses asked. "I can't even talk right." What happened to his eloquent speech? Once powerful and controlling, now Moses was afraid to speak out for his people. He couldn't look back and neither can we. We can't live on our own wits, but with God's strength nothing is impossible. Any old bush will do, because it's not about the bush, or Moses or any of us. It's about God and what He can do to humble and empower us to live for Him.


Moses learned to trust God in the desert. With all of life's busyness, I often feel like I'm running in circles in the desert, but I know God has a plan and a future for me in a spacious land where I will want for nothing. What about you? Have you experienced God's amazing love? If so, you know you can trust Him to lead you through today's circumstances.

Maybe you have shattered dreams, loss of work, home, car or loved ones. I've been there, my friend. Fortunately for me, I called out to God and He heard my cry. He lavished His love on me and I've never wanted to live a minute or an hour or a day outside of His presence. He promised He would always be with us so if you're feeling like He is far away, be sure it is not Him who walked away. You can call His name, as I did, and experience His amazing love and mercy. I hope you do.