LifeLink Devotional

Monday, April 29, 2019

I want to spend just a couple of minutes today balancing what was said last Friday about the miraculous provision of meat from the Lord to the Israelites, so that we understand the full implications of our actions. The feeding of the Israelites was a part of a bigger lesson in faith to a people who were not seeking Him. It was an expression of grace combined with God’s justice and wrath against sin.

Numbers 11:31-34 But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had craved other food.

The reason God was giving them the meat was because they were complaining about the manna. They were no longer satisfied with what God had given them and felt that they deserved better. So, God, in His infinite wisdom, used this opportunity to correct, rebuke, and instruct the people in righteousness and faith. He gave them what they wanted, and then showed them the consequences of discontent with God’s plan.

The people were so convinced that they needed meat, that even though they knew God’s anger was against them, when the meat arrived they went out to gather it anyway. The whole flock of birds was a test to see if they would please God or please self. They chose to please self, and because of it many of them died in a terrible plague.

My friends, sometimes we use the tests of our faith to seek personal gain or recognition, when we should be learning to trust what God has already given us.  We must learn the lesson of faith that moves us from being people who ask God for what we want to people who ask God for what He wants. God’s anger burns against selfish pursuits. They contradict His glory. May we be careful never to put our personal desires ahead of His purpose. If contentment with His present provisions is His plan, then content we must be.

May we never crave other than what God has chosen to provide.

Pastor John