Word of Encouragement (10/11/2022)

But Moses said, “The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat a whole month!’ Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, and be enough for them?” And the LORD said to Moses, “Is the LORD's hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.” (Num. 11:21-23)

This was Moses’ response when the LORD told him that He would provide meat for the Israelites until they would get sick of it (vv. 18-20). Of course, there was nothing inaccurate about Moses’ assessment of the situation. There were “six hundred thousand on foot” to feed (not to mention they were in the wilderness). God promised to give them meat, not just for one meal but for a whole month. How many flocks and herds would have to be slaughtered to feed them for a whole month? (They probably brought flocks and herds from Egypt, but they could not just eat them up! They had to keep them for their new life in the promised land.) He didn’t think that all the fish of the sea would not be enough to feed them. (This was obviously an exaggeration. But when our hearts are not in the right place, we tend to overstate our problems and needs and underestimate what God is able to do, don’t we?)

But can any of our assessments be accurate without God in the picture? That was what God reminded Moses of: “Is the LORD's hand shortened? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.” We wonder how, of all people, Moses could have forgotten it. We can see that he was not in a good place, spiritually speaking. God just told him that He would do something wonderful for the people of Israel but, instead of saying, “Amen! Thank you!” he questioned God because he did not see how God could possibly do what He promised to do! This may reflect how much stress he was under: we don’t think straight when the pressure we are under makes us feel sorry for ourselves. The whining and wailing of the Israelites got to him.

Was it just the stress Moses was under? That was only an external cause. The real cause lay in him, allowing the stress to make him lose his sight of the LORD. Moses not only witnessed countless miracles but also performed them as God’s instrument. If he could lose sight of the LORD, no one should think that he has “arrived” and he can just cruise through the Christian life. Christianity is not Buddhism: we don’t get “enlightened” once, and we live above all life’s frays. No, we must constantly and vigilantly “keep” our hearts (as we learned last Sunday from Dr. Craig Troxel’s message)—to preserve the soundness of our faith and to protect it against the temptations and assaults of the evil one by applying ourselves to the means of grace (the Word, the Sacraments, and prayer). This is because Christianity is about living in union with Christ, living in constant reliance upon Him, who is our salvation, eternal life, wisdom, and strength.

Are you down these days? Why? Does your assessment of your situation include God in it? God reminded Moses of His almighty power and did what Moses thought was impossible, feeding the Israelites for one whole month. But that was nothing compared to what God has done for us for our salvation—saving us through the voluntary suffering and death of Jesus Christ! If God could save us from sin, He can redeem the tragedy of our circumstances unto our eternal salvation and glory! Why don’t you take another look at your life with Christ in it? It will change everything.

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