by Dave Burleson
 
God saved his people Israel from slavery in Egypt. He did it with a flourish of miracles unequaled in history. But even after witnessing God’s great deeds on their behalf, the people thought that God didn’t quite get it right. The water was too bitter or of insufficient quantity, and the miraculous manna was too boring without meat. The rumblings of Mount Sinai, the cloud by day, and the fire by night were inadequate entertainment, so they came up with the Golden Calf Jamboree.

Did you ever think that maybe God didn’t quite get it right when He handed out your talents or your circumstances in life? Is your nose too long? Are you too short or too tall? Couldn’t you serve God better if you could sing more beautifully or speak enthusiastically in front of a crowd? And you would love to contribute to more missionaries if He would just supply some more funds. Even the apostle Paul felt that he could minister more effectively if God would just remove his persistent affliction (II Cor 12:7-10), but God said “no.” It was part of His plan for Paul to carry that affliction and demonstrate God’s grace.

Yes, it is part of God’s plan that we should be inadequate and suffer afflictions. He wants to show Himself great when it is obvious that we cannot make it on our own. How often we miss the opportunity to proclaim God’s greatness when we complain or fail to seek God’s remedy for our situation. We want a short cut to bliss, and we thwart God’s plan with an inferior plan of our own. Israel failed to understand this, but Balaam the son of Beor, the profiteering seer, understood it. Remember the quote from Balaam when Balak was trying to get him to curse Israel. “It will now be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘See what God has done!’” (Num 23:23) God wants to use us as pictures of His power and glory. If we had everything perfect and in order, people would praise us and not Him! There is nothing worse for God’s purposes than a people who have no needs. So before we go running back to Egypt where we remember everything was perfect (in our dreams!), let’s learn to be a people who are willing to step out on faith and have no choice but to depend on God and His grace.
 
 
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