Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.”’”
NL Daily Devotion for Sunday, October 10, 2021
by Dr. Kimberly Leetch, Clergy Stuff
Main Idea: God is faithful, even when we are not.
The Israelites had been enslaved for so long that no one still living remembered how it had been when Joseph brought his family to Egypt to survive a famine; when Joseph was revered; when God still spoke. For 400 years, they had not heard from God and had become accustomed to (although certainly not content with) their lot as slaves in Egypt. Due to the harsh conditions, their cries rattled the heavens and God finally responded. God freed them from their cruel conditions, only to be reprimanded for, well…freeing them from their cruel conditions. Apparently, life in the wilderness with no food, no governing, and no familiarity became worse than slavery.
But God knew better. God provided exactly what they needed. God sent food. God gave them structure (10 Commandments and laws). God sent familiarity (40 years in the wilderness, anyone?). All of which were crucial to the survival of the nation. They would need the 40 years to learn their news ways and laws, and to learn to trust God. Fortunately, God was extraordinarily patient (400 years of watching the Israelites suffer would make 40 in the wilderness seem like the blink of an eye to a patient God.)
It never ceases to amaze me how faithful God can be, even when I am not. Years ago, I was very close to getting a job that seemed like a wonderful opportunity. At the last minute, the opportunity fell through and I was quite upset at God for it. A few years later I learned that the organization went through a terrible, heart-wrenching split. I realized that if I had taken the opportunity, I would have been dead center of the storm. Given my struggles with depression, I wonder how I would have fared. It took several years for me to see that God had my back. Despite my complaints, God provided for me just what I needed.
God is faithful, even when we do not have the full perspective of what we need.