Nobody But God

'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'.  Exodus 16:14

Did you know that even your private conversations are heard by God.  He sees and hears all.  Isn't it good to know that even when we complain because of our current situation that God does not deal with us in anger?  Instead He deals with us kindly and graciously.  I can only imagine that He is so very disappointed in us when we groan and complain through hard times as if He is not the same God that He was yesterday.  The same God that delivered us before.  I think about the children of Israel who had just come off a spiritual high.  Just look at all God had done for them.  He had just delivered them out of Egypt.  When they were stuck between the Red Sea and their enemies, He parted the Red Sea and killed all their enemies.  And on top of that He provided water in the desert when they were thirsty.  You would think that they would know that the same God who did all of this would indeed provide bread in their time of need.  Yet they complained. It was though God had not done a thing for them.  Their deliverance was so undervalued. 

Now my first response to reading this story was to ask the question, "How could they not believe after all that had happened?" But no sooner had the question popped into my mind did God cause me to take a closer look at my own life.  How many times had I forgotten where the Lord had brought me from? How he had delivered me out of a major depression.  Saved my life not once but twice.  How many times had I sat around complaining about what I didn't have? When He had provided everything that my family needed and even some of our wants. Too many times to count.  And each and every time the Lord could have dealt with me as an ungrateful child because of my constant complaining but instead He dealt with me kindly and graciously.  Thank you Lord! Sometimes God just has to show up and remind us about who He is.  That He is good and gracious, kind and merciful, ever mindful of his covenant and promises, able to supply our wants, and provide us with everything necessary and sufficient to meet our needs.  This verse also reminds us that He is able to see our needs even when we fail to bring it to Him directly.  When we gripe and complain instead of praying and leaving it in God's very capable hands.  The one thing that the Israelites had failed to realize is that it was God who had brought them to the wilderness.  They had not yet come to rely on the concept that He would never leave them nor forsake them.  The God we serve promises  'to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory'.  (Phil. 4:19)  Whether your current situation is brought on by your own disobedience or by the divine hands of the Almighty, He will bring you through it.  And it will be in such a way that you will have to say that it was nobody but the Lord. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Please forgive me for the times when I have doubted instead of trusting You.  I have been focused on my situation instead of trusting the One who has control over ever aspect of my life.  Instead of grumbling and complaining, help me to focus on the blessed assurance I have in serving a living Savior, one who has the power to supply all my needs according to Your riches in glory.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen.