Posted on January 23, 2020 by Catey Stover in Victory Call
Psalm 78:18 They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved.
There are times when wisdom warrants giving them what they want because it will only be through experience that they will realize for THEMSELVES that this is NOT really what they want. You can tell them and tell them and tell them but they will not really understand until they experience it.
Much the same with the Israelites.
God knew He alone was sufficient to meet all their needs but they whined and complained craving more, craving food than meat.
Numbers 11: 4-6 Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”
God gave them what they craved and they reveled in the quail and stuffed themselves…to death.
Numbers 11:18-20 “And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the LORD, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you shall eat. You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the LORD who is among you and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come out of Egypt?”‘”
God knew HE was enough-The Israelites rejected Him and craved meat and He gave it to them.
The result? God killed the strongest of them and laid low the young men of Israel.
We may not always get what we want and often we get what we want but not the way we expected.
As I think about that statement, “for he gave them what they craved”, I don’t want God to give me what I crave if, in the end, it will draw my eyes and heart away from Him.
You and I lack the perspective of God. He alone can determine what truly is in our best interest – will we trust Him in that?
Written By Diane Hunt: Diane Hunt serves on the board of America’s Keswick and provides ministry support from her home in North Carolina. She is also a biblical counselor and women’s event speaker. For more information about having Diane speak at your next event please contact her at dhunt@americaskeswick.org.
Think About This: “God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.” – C.S. Lewis
The Daily Bible Reading: Exodus 31-35| You can download our 2020 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here.
This Week’s Verse to Memorize: If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is [d]for you, but you should rule over it.” -Genesis 4:7
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the doctrinal and theological views held by America’s Keswick.
Consider a retreat at America’s Keswick retreat center.
