When a mother carries her child, the baby often grips her neck as if his own strength is needed to keep him from falling. Of course this is not true. It is the mother’s loving grasp that carries the baby. After a time, the baby usually realizes that he need not fear; he can rely totally on his mother’s arms. My devotional reading points out that the “everlasting arms” of God (Deuteronomy 33:27) can be no less.
God protects His people. Like a little child, our defenses and means of self-preservation are nothing compared to His mighty care. Our grip around His neck signifies commitment more than having anything to do with being safe because it is His arms, His powerful love that holds and keeps us.
Nevertheless, He invites us to cling and we do that by obedience. I’m also reading through the Bible, something I’ve done for several years. This morning I noted three passages in Exodus that say something about the care of God and our part in receiving that care.
The first is from Exodus 15:25-26, God’s promise to give His people good health. It says, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you.”
His part was the gift of good health; their part was listening to and obeying Him. While it is never legitimate to blame all diseases on disobedience, this is a powerful promise. I’ve read several books on the effects human behavior have on our health, including None of these Diseases based on this passage, and When Your Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress. Both were written by doctors whose experience backs up this incredible promise from God. If I do what He says, He will take care of my body.
Another passage is about my complaints. The New Testament says I’m not supposed to grumble about my lot in life, but trust the Lord instead. This lack of complaining also can be a testimony to a world of people who are never satisfied about anything. However, Exodus 16:6-8 says this about the complaints of God’s people.
“Then Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, ‘At evening you shall know that the Lord has brought you out of the land of Egypt. And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord; for He hears your complaints against the Lord. But what are we, that you complain against us?’ Also Moses said, ‘This shall be seen when the Lord gives you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to the full; for the Lord hears your complaints which you make against Him. And what are we? Your complaints are not against us but against the Lord.’”I’ve realized that any complaining I do, even when it seems to be against others, is really a complaint against my sovereign God who rubber stamps everything that happens to me. Yet this passage says that God hears those complaints I’m not supposed to make!
In this case in Exodus, He considered the spiritual maturity and physical situation of His people. At this point in their journey they needed to know that He cared about them and would take care of them, so He answered their cries and did something about their needs.
I’m not saying this makes complaining right. What I see here is that if something is wrong, I must tell God about it. I should not complain to others or even blame others. He is in charge and if the problem needs correction, He will correct it. My part is to give Him the opportunity, not bellyache as if He is not on my side or caring.
The third passage is Exodus 19:3-6 and is of far greater scope than my health or personal needs. It says, “Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.’”
His part is making His people a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Their part is obedience. Remembering His deliverance from bondage in Egypt and His care in the wilderness would help them keep His commands. As they did, He would do great things in their lives.
This is a New Testament truth as well. God is at work to make His church the very same thing. We need to obey or the process slows to a crawl. I need to obey so He can do this great thing in my life, giving me a significant role in His plan. When I don’t obey, I fall short of that ‘special treasure’ category.
The Christian life can be complex, but at times the simplicity needs to be restated. God is enough. All He wants from me is that I love and obey Him. He will take care of everything else.
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