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Is Your Stomach Growling?

February 4, 2017. Exodus 16-18.

 

The Israelites have just been set free from Egypt.  They’ve seen God do incredible things, and have been spared whenever they follow His commandments.  Now, after being in the desert for a while, they grow hungry and begin to question why God would bring them out of Egypt just to starve and be miserable. 

 

Exodus 16:1-3

1 The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt. In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”

 

God has never promised that a life of following after Him will be a charmed one.  Surrendering your life to Christ doesn’t just mean when things are going good.  Continuing to trust in Him during the most difficult times in your life is when true faith is shown.

 

The Israelites were hungry.  Their hunger caused them to grumble and begin to turn away from God.  Have you ever been so hungry you can’t think straight?  The same thing can happen in your spiritual walk with God.  If you aren’t feeding yourself daily with His word, you’re going to start feeling grumbly.  When something doesn’t go your way, or life throws you a curve ball, you aren’t going to be prepared.  Staying fed spiritually is just as important as staying fed physically.  Having a healthy appetite for God’s word, and staying satisfied within it won’t relieve you of hard times, but it will help you face them head on and allow God to use them in a way that will bring Him honor and glory.  Stay fed.  Read His word daily, and allow Him to speak into your life.

God hear the cry of the Israelites, and He knew exactly what they needed.

Exodus 16:4

Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day.

If you’re feeling like you are going through a time of famine in your life, cry out to God.  He hears your grumbling and He wants to satisfy you.  You might remain in the desert a while longer, but you will be full in Christ and have peace in knowing that He is taking you someplace better and wants to use this situation for your good.

Previous Devotional - February 3