Something happened yesterday that made me want to quit; quit being merciful, quit being patient, quit being a Christian, maybe even quit living here, just move to Timbuktu and be rid of this stress. Complain and rant are too mild to describe my reaction.
My patient husband let me tell and yell. My patient God did the same, but this morning He told me a story. His people were at the edge of the land He’d promised them. They sent in spies to check it out. The report came back; it was a fabulous land, but the people living in it were formidable giants.
“So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, ‘If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?’ So they said to one another, ‘Let us select a leader and return to Egypt.’”
Sounds familiar.
“Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel. But Joshua . . . and Caleb . . . who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: ‘The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, “a land which flows with milk and honey.” Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them.’”
God has put this in your path. If you run away now, you will miss the good things that He has promised you. Don’t be afraid of this challenge. It is bread for your growth.
“The congregation said to stone them with stones. Now the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel. Then the Lord said to Moses: ‘How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them? I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them . . . ‘”
Wanting to quit is rooted in lack of faith, rejecting Me. Remember who I am, the God who promises to use everything for your good, the God for whom nothing is too hard.
“Moses said to the Lord: ‘Then the Egyptians will hear it, for by Your might You brought these people up from among them, and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, Lord, are among these people; that You, Lord, are seen face to face and Your cloud stands above them, and You go before them. . . . Now if You kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of Your fame will speak, saying, ‘Because the Lord was not able to bring this people to the land which He swore to give them, therefore He killed them in the wilderness.’ And now, I pray, let the power of my Lord be great, just as You have spoken, saying, ‘The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.’ Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, according to the greatness of Your mercy, just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”
Now I am not hearing God speaking to me, but Jesus interceding before God on my behalf. He asks for mercy and that His power be demonstrated in me, not for my sake alone, but so His name is honored and He is glorified in my life.
I’ve a flip file on my desk with character traits defined on each card. The one facing me says, “MEEKNESS vs. Anger. Yielding my personal rights and expectations to God. ‘My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him.’”
Loud and clear, I hear You.
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