Open to Provision - Day 46 Month 2-15 Week 7 Day 4

Today’s reading (Bible in 1 year) 
Open to Provision

1. Are we having chicken again? Why can’t we have fries tonight? I know it’s carbs, but I like fries. Oh, you’ve pulled out the string beans—can we have peas tonight? I know they have a higher sugar content, but we’ve had beans four times this week. You know, my favorite meal is prime rib with a baked potato topped with sour cream, real bacon bits, chives, and cheddar. I guess we need to settle for the pork roast that is on sale this week.

That’s me, a little exaggerated though!  I grumble when we have the same thing to eat more than once in one week. I’m not a picky eater, but I like change, and I especially like prime rib!  Sylvia is not the only one responsible for dinner decisions. We prefer not to waste money on overpriced food, so we buy what is a good price when we are shopping.  Sylvia does most of the food shopping though, because I can’t stand shopping!!!!

The Israelites are grumbling and complaining after 3 days from crossing the red sea and not having water.  The first water they come across tastes bitter.  God provides a solution and purifies the water for them.  They move on to Elim.  God not only provides water but shade  and date palms…I can taste the dates now.  They grumbled and complained again.  They wanted bread and meat like they had in Egypt complaining “you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”  God provides Manna in the morning for them to collect and make bread with and quail in the evening to eat for meat.

We are told that God was testing the Israelites. I’m sure that these were two tests they failed. I likely would have failed them too. However, I believe there are lessons here for us.  God had delivered them out of Egypt and did great miracles but a month and a half afterwards, they claim Moses brought them out of Egypt to die in the wilderness…even though God had delivered them in a miraculous fashion.  God was clearly with them and for them.

When we have complained, we’ve missed the incredible gift of provision God had provided for us.  I believe God would have provided all they needed even if they had not complained.  There is a huge difference between complaining and asking.  I suspect God was waiting for them to ask for His provision in a spirit of thankfulness and worship.  Knowing God would provide,  they could have asked how He would provide for His people and how they should prepare to receive it.  He had already provided food for them to eat. 

God already knows what you need. Needs and wants are different.  We know that, but in the circumstance of the Israelites they are dissatisfied with God providing their needs.  They want the options they would have in Egypt just as I want many options for dinner.  Sometimes we need to be satisfied and grateful when our needs are met.  This applies to much more than food and many of us already have an overabundance.  

2. In our Matthew reading, the chief priests and Pharisees were determined to prove Jesus was not who He said He was.  To prove their point, they sealed up Jesus’ tomb and posted guards.  They did not even suggest that Jesus would rise again, they figured someone would steal his body away in a deception of the truth.  They were closed-minded to the option that this may have been the Messiah.

My thoughts today come down to being open-minded to God.  Maybe God is only providing what you need when He doesn’t provide overabundance.  Maybe He’s asking you to be open -minded about His provision for life in His Kingdom where there is overabundance.  If you know the Easter story in its fullness, you know Jesus defeats death.  If you’re sceptical like the chief priests and Pharisees, choose instead to open your heart and mind to the possibility that it’s fact and Jesus did rise from the dead.  It’s a life and death difference.

Thanks for reading 

Steve


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