God is our provider. He is faithful. We can trust him!
God meets our needs how he knows is best for us, for his glory and in his timing. Sometimes he works through other people or circumstances and sometimes through a change in perspective or miracles. He gives us what we need when we need it. And we learn to depend on him.
Consider the Israelites. The Israelites were rescued from bondage by and plagues upon the Egyptians. After following God’s lead for three days from the Red Sea through the desert, the Israelites let their carnal senses get the best of them. They took their focus off of God and his deliverance.
With their eyes on themselves, they began to complain, initially because they needed water to drink. They seemed to have forgotten the extraordinary ways in which they had seen God work. Just beginning their journey, they realized they were thirsty and wondered how this need would be met.
This seems incredulous, doesn’t it, after the powerful workings of God they had experienced?!
How often, though, do we forget God’s provisions for us and then quiver in our state of self-concern? When this happens, we have taken our eyes off of our Lord. We have forgotten God is faithful.
In exasperation, Moses sought God for how to handle these grumblers. We can take notice that “Moses cried out to the LORD, ‘What am I to do with these people?’” (Exodus 17:4a). We, too, should ask God for wisdom when we are lacking in our circumstances and frustrated. Like Moses, we ought to recognize our leader, God, and in trust follow his lead.
The LORD answered Moses, telling him what to do. Not only that, but in this situation with getting water from the rock, the LORD was with Moses: “I will stand there before you by the rock…” (Exodus 17:6). What assurance that must have brought Moses.
God is compassionate, isn’t he? In our own trying times, we have God with us, too. Do we take notice?
As followers of Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit within us. When our hearts are clean, God hears our prayers and answers them in his perfect ways. He gets the glory, and we receive his blessings.