Trusting God to meet our needs

Intro

This morning I want to remind our church of the abundant ability of God to meet and supply all of our needs - regardless of our circumstances or problems.

In life today, it’s very easy for us to become overhwlemed with our needs and problems - our physical health, our finances, our relationship struggles, the stress of school, work…of raising a family in this fallen world.

The added fear and worry of contracting Covid as well as the loneliness and isolation social distancing puts on our emotions only elevates our fears and exaggerates our worry.

It’s little wonder then...why We can gether together on Sunday mornings and fill ourselves up on faith and hope and the goodness of God, only to have those things very things stolen from us before we even get out of bed on Monday morning.

It doesn’t take long for many of us to feel completely overhwelmed, exhausted and on the verge of giving in to major fits of anxiety, fear and worry.

This morning I want to gently remind you that God’s got everything you need in the palm of His hand and that He will not allow you to go without what you need.

This is a clarion call to faith, to trust in the proven track record of the Savior we serve, who gives abundantly to meet the various needs of his children.

Scripture is the story of God.

It’s a record of his interactions with mankind.

It is a resume of sorts, where He proclaims his character and then backs up his claims with numerous and consistent examples.

This is why it is so important for us to read and study this book.

We need to be reminded often of how Great God is.

We need to be reminded how powerful His arm is and how ample His supply for our lives truly is.

This morning I want you to turn with me to the Old Testament book of Exodus, chapter 15. It’s here where God is going to lay out his grasp of our need as well as painstakingly prove his willingness and ability to meet us at the point of our greatest need.

Ex 15: 22 “Moses led the people of Israel away from the Red Sea, and they moved out into the desert of Shur. They traveled in this desert for THREE DAYS without finding any water. When they came to the oasis of Marah, the water was too bitter to drink. Then the people complained and turned against Moses. “what are we going to drink” they demanded. So Moses cried out to the Lord for help and the Lord Showed him a piece of wood. So Moses cried out to the Lord for help, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. Moses threw it into the water, and this made the water good to drink. It was there at Marah that the Lord set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to him. He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.” After leaving Marah, the Israelites traveled on to the oasis of Elim, where they found twelve springs and seventy palm trees. They camped there beside the water.”

A few things I want to point out here:

1. The Israelites were not just thirsty - they were in imminent danger of death due to lack of water supply for three entire days as they marched through the desert.

2. They thought they found salvation when they stumbled upon the Oasis of Marah, but its waters were so bitter, they could not drink it, no matter how thirsty they were.

3. Moses and the people had two completely different reactions to this unexpected turn of events:

Moses prayed

The people complained.

God didn’t address the comlaints of the people but he did address Moses urgent prayer for help. And his answer came in a ra ther unassuming way. He turned Moses’ attention to a peice of wood and instructed him to throw the wood into the water. Mireaculously the water stopped being bitter, allowing the people to drink.

4. God then provided them with a teachable moment:

If they would listen and obey

then He would spare them from ever having to suffer the plagues of Egypt.

He reminded them that He is the Lord who HEALS them.

5. God immediately directs them to the Oasis of Elim - where they found 12 springs and 70 palm trees - a true oasis in the midst of the desert.

God is able to provide for our needs in spite of our dire circumstances

Even in the mdist of desert wilderness experiences, he can provide springs of living water and a resort filled with exactly what we need.

As a result, We should NEVER doubt or question the ability of God to provide.

Of course, the children of Israel would continue to doubt and complain in spite of God’s faithfulness and goodness towards them.

Let’s continue reading in chapter 16

“Then the whole community of Israel set out from Elim and journeyed into the wilderness of Sin, between Elim and Mount Sinai. They arrived there on the fifteenth day of the second month, one month after leaving the land of Egypt. There, too, the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron. “If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions. On the sixth day they will gather food, and when they prepare it, there will be twice as much as usual.” So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “By evening you will realize it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt. In the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaints, which are against him, not against us. What have we done that you should complain about us?” Then Moses added, “The Lord will give you meat to eat in the evening and bread to satisfy you in the morning, for he has heard all your complaints against him. What have we done? Yes, your complaints are against the Lord, not against us.”

Then Moses said to Aaron, “Announce this to the entire community of Israel: ‘Present yourselves before the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.’” And as Aaron spoke to the whole community of Israel, they looked out toward the wilderness. There they could see the awesome glory of the Lord in the cloud. Then the Lord said to Moses, “I have heard the Israelites’ complaints. Now tell them, ‘In the evening you will have meat to eat, and in the morning you will have all the bread you want. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”

That evening vast numbers of quail flew in and covered the camp. And the next morning the area around the camp was wet with dew. When the dew evaporated, a flaky substance as fine as frost blanketed the ground. The Israelites were puzzled when they saw it. “What is it?” they asked each other. They had no idea what it was. And Moses told them, “It is the food the Lord has given you to eat. These are the Lord’s instructions: Each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick up two quarts for each person in your tent.” So the people of Israel did as they were told. Some gathered a lot, some only a little. But when they measured it out, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed.

Then Moses told them, “Do not keep any of it until morning.” But some of them didn’t listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. Moses was very angry with them. After this the people gathered the food morning by morning, each family according to its need. And as the sun became hot, the flakes they had not picked up melted and disappeared. On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much as usual—four quarts for each person instead of two. Then all the leaders of the community came and asked Moses for an explanation. He told them, “This is what the Lord commanded: Tomorrow will be a day of complete rest, a holy Sabbath day set apart for the Lord. So bake or boil as much as you want today, and set aside what is left for tomorrow.” So they put some aside until morning, just as Moses had commanded. And in the morning the leftover food was wholesome and good, without maggots or odor. Moses said, “Eat this food today, for today is a Sabbath day dedicated to the Lord. There will be no food on the ground today. You may gather the food for six days, but the seventh day is the Sabbath. There will be no food on the ground that day.” Some of the people went out anyway on the seventh day, but they found no food. The Lord asked Moses, “How long will these people refuse to obey my commands and instructions? They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to you. That is why he gives you a two-day supply on the sixth day, so there will be enough for two days. On the Sabbath day you must each stay in your place. Do not go out to pick up food on the seventh day.” So the people did not gather any food on the seventh day. The Israelites called the food manna. It was white like coriander seed, and it tasted like honey wafers.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭16:1-31‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You would think after providing an oasis in the desert, the children of Israel would start expecting GOOD THINGS from God, but it is quickly evident in chapter 16, that its painfully hard for them to change or amend their ways.

Instead of filling their thoughts with Praises, instead of recounting the many ways God had delivered them from Egypt, how we caused the Egyptians to shower them with gifts fo silver and gold and jewlwely and clothing...

All they could think about was what they COULD NOT HAVE.

Verse 2 tells us “The whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron.”

“If only the Lord had KILLED US back in Egypt”, they moaned. There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve ourselves to death!”

What was on the minds of the people was not the greatness of God or his wonderful provisions, rather it was on the meatpots and bread they left behind in Egypt.

Their words reveal an anxious heart. They reveal the people’s complete lack of trust in God’s ability to provide.

Their knee-jerk reaction was to long for the comforts of the past - in spite of the fact that they hated Egypt, they despised being used a forced labor and beaten with rods when they couldn’t fulfill their unreasonable quotes for bring making each day.

How many of us know that complaining NEVER solves our problems.

Running away (or running back to Egypt in this case) doesn’t either. If you run from your current TEST, it will just follow you to wherrever you are going until you learn to deal with them.

The heart of every problem is the heart - and the hearts of the people were simply not right with the Lord.

Murmuring and complaining feels good. It reinforces our deceived minds which convince us that we’ve been mistreated, that we’ve been slghted or passed over by God.

But complaining doesn’t solve our problems

It only serves to keep our attention on ourselves and our lack, keeping us in a perpetual state of bitterness and lack

I don’t know if you realize this or not, but everytime we complain, we basically accuse God of injustice, unfairness and cruelty towards us.

Its a slap in the face towards his goodness, his kindness and the enduring love He diplays towards us every day of our lives

Understnad this: When your level of complaining is at an all-time high, it means that your praise is likely at an all time low

the Israelites saw no hope for tomorrow, so they grumbled and complained about their situation today.

• when I grumble and complain it is proof that I don’t have hope and faith for tomorrow

• Even though this is often a knee-jerk reaction, it is still indicative of a much deeper truth and reality in my thought life.

The challenge of faith —to have faith that God will not just abandon us in the deserts of life, but that He will provide for all of our needs every single day. 

verses 1-3

the whole community complained because they were hungry

they had been away from egypt for only a month and still remembered the flesh pots and the food they had eaten

Yet at the same time they had conveniently forgotten about the bondage, the beating and the overall misery they were in for YEARS

They accused Moses and Aaron of bringing them into the desert to kill them

The desire to make thier current situation look as dark as possible, led them to magnify the advantages of their former life in Egypt

The irony is that they didn’t think too much of it when they were living there in captivity

Verses 4-18

God heard their murmuerings and in his grace and mercy met their needs

there is not a single word of reproof for the murmuring of the people

mistrust, ingratitude, God forgives in his mercy

So many of us murmur and complain about our lots in life

We complain about our finances, our dress, our health, our jobs our frustrations

How many contented people do you actually know? I bet no too many!

God took pity on themHe looked to their great need more than to their mumuring

In his great compassion, knowing their dire distress, he treated their mumurings almost as if they were prayers

and he subsequently gave them what they asked for!

Its important to note that he wouldn’t continue to over look their complaints

Over time and with experience, He began to hold them accountablein the evening they would have flesh to eat and in the morning they woulld have breadBut these blessings were also tests of obedience

ASKING WHY

When we’re hurting and going through difficult seasons, its only natural to ask why

but this is the wrong approach

when we ask God this question we ‘re assuming a superior posture and giving the impression that we’re the ones in charge

God is soveriegn - he doesn’t owe us any explanationsAsking why assumes that if he did explain that we’d actually understand everything perfectly and feel better

EXAMPLE OF JOB

Job was frustrated with his circumstances“I’d like to meet with God and ask him a few questions”But when God finally shows up, Job is so overwhelmed he doesn’t ask a single thing!Job 40:1-5

Verses 13-15

The people asked for fresh meat and God providedMannaName means “what is it?”it would be their food for the next 40 yearsGod spread a table for them - even in the wildernessHe was their Jehova Jireh - the God who graciously provided for ALL their needs in lihgt of his exhaustless resourceseach morning the jews participated in a MIRACLE as they emerged from their tents to find all the nourishment they needed waiting on the dew.Manna was small, like a seed, but it tasted sweet like honeyThe manna wasn’t only life sustaining food - it was also a visible symbol reminding the people of the divine presence and and provision of God

Daily provision

The supply woul be continous - it would come each new day

The regularity of the supply would be a daily proof of God’s faithfulness

Each day we must feed on Jesus by reading the Word, meditating on its truth and obeying what it saysGod’s word is the heavenly food that nourishes our spiritual life

we must feed on it daily

The supply was equal to the demand

God’s supply is always adequate but not indulgent

not a lack but just enough

There wasn’t any waste or over-supply, which breeds self sufficiency - not faith and trust

The wonderful truth here is that everyone had enough - the greedy and the timid both had just enoughGod is always fairNo matter how much or how little they collected,

they found it was always enough when they came to prepare and eat itthe amount collected was always the exact amount they needed

God used the manna to instill obedience into the community of Israel

Verses 16-30 OBEDIENCE

God instructed the people to gather their manna DAILY

with the caveat of only gathering the amount they could eat

An omer was a dry measurment equivalent to two quarts

Manna was incredibly nutritiout for it sustained an adult for a day’s march in the wilderness

the members of each family would pool their supply so that they had enough to eatgathering enough bread for on ly that day helped the israelites learn to TRUST the fact that the He would provide them food each morning

God isntructed them to gather manna EARLY

The hot desert sun would melt the manna

it woould evaporate in front of their eyes, if left too long out in the sun

It’s a reminder that we are to tart each day with the Lord EARLY on before doing anything elseif we wait too long to meet with God, the day will get busy, we’ll get distracted and we’ll fail to meeting with God at all

STORING THE MANNA

it couold not be stored or else it would rot

this forced the people to get up early each day they couldn’t rest on yesterday’s work

they couldn’t gather extra so they were forced to get up

We can’t live on yesterday’s spiritual nourishment

we need fresh manna each daythere is no substitute for a daily quiet time with GodWe must gather fresh nourishment each day

Speical instructions for the Sabbath

on the 6th day they were permitted to gather 2x as much as they normally wouldyet it wouldn’t become rancid or filled with maggotsThis was yet another miracle the jews experienced each week

Lessons:

God will curse ill-gotten gains some jews dispbeyed God’s command and tried to store up extra manna for the next dayGod caused any manna left over to rotHe wanted to teach that He was enough. There is no need to store more than what was needed for one dayHoarding is not of faithto make the accumulation of wealth our only aim is displeasing to GodThe goal in life isn’t to become self-sufficiet but to learn to remain God dependentScripture impores us NOT to be anxious about tomorrow - or to beconcerned with what we will eat or wearif we seek first the kingdom of God - all these things we need, will be taken care of as a resultDavid declared “I have been young and now I am old, yet never have I seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging for bread”

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