Jesus welcomed the people, taught them about the Kingdom of God and healed those in need. Luke 9:11

Seeds of the Kingdom

Crisis in the Camp

by Sue Griffiths

Moses asked the Lord, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why did you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers? Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing at me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I can’t carry all these people by myself; the burden’s too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now.... and do not let me face my own ruin”.
Numbers 11:10-15, NIV

Whoa! Fancy talking to God like this! My goodness! Moses has had enough. How could he possibly talk to God in this exasperated manner? Where’s his respect? Where’s his awe, his terror of his God?

Well, Moses has 600,000 people shouting at him for meat in the desert and he’s had enough. Even if all the flocks were slaughtered or all the fish in the sea caught, it wouldn’t be enough, he says, and he can’t stand any more (Numbers 11:21-22). What does God do with this situation? Do you know, God just listens to Moses. He doesn’t interrupt him, He doesn’t turn his back on him, He doesn’t get angry. He listens to Moses right to the very end and then God says, “Moses, my friend, you need help! And I have a solution for you. I am going to equip seventy other men to help you and support you. This is too much for you. You’re right”.

God could simply have provided the meat for the people. But he didn’t. He heard Moses in his terrible distress and trouble and the first thing God does is to care for Moses, the man, his friend. What a loving Father! There’s no reprimand for Moses for his behaviour. God is a deeply loving caring Father and He sorts Moses out, first of all by appointing those extra leaders.

And then Moses must tell the people that God will provide the meat. So, Moses tells them. And next morning the quail come. Fresh quail, a metre deep, falls on the land overnight!

Prayer: God, thank You that you are such a real God. You deal with real situations, real disasters, real challenges, real emotional stress we’re in. Thank You for the way You listened to Moses in all his panic and exhaustion, and You loved him and honoured him and intervened to bless him and put him back on his feet again. And when Moses had experienced Your love and care for him, he went straight out and obeyed You – and saw You do the miracle he needed. I want to know You in my life like that. You are my Father. Thank You. Amen.

Sue Griffiths Sue found deep inner healing through the teaching and ministry at Ellel ministries and is now part of the associate ministry team at Ellel Grange. Previously, Sue was a specialist in English Literature and a vicar’s wife. Her passion is to see others coming into freedom in Christ in their personal lives. Sue’s an outdoors person, loves gardening, walking, and many creative things. She and Richard, her husband, now live in Northumberland and enjoy a great family of 3 grown up kids and some grandkids.

 

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