Verse of the Day Devotion: Numbers 11:6
“But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.” – Numbers 11:6
In Exodus 16, we read the story of how the Israelites complained about the food that God provided for His people. “They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” Exodus 16:1-3. After God had freed them from Egypt where they were slaves, they now complain to Moses and Aaron about the food that was provided to them by God. It seems they had plenty of meat and bread while in Egypt, which makes sense so that they had the strength to work as hard as was required. Now they complained because they did not have the food they had there, even though they were now free.
Next, we see how what God did to provide them plenty of food. “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not. On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.” Exodus 16:4-5.
After a while, they tired of what God provided. “Now the rabble that was among them had a strong `craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.” Numbers 11:4-6.
Then God gives them meat, but it was not as they thought it would be provided. “And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the LORD, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore, the LORD will give you meat, and you shall eat. You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the LORD who is among you and have wept before him, saying, ‘Why did we come out of Egypt?’” Numbers 11:18-20. He gave them meat, but they were required to eat it every day until they got sick of it. God gave them manna, but they wanted something else.
It is important that if we ask God to provide something for us, we should be content with what He gives us. If He provides a hamburger, we should not complain it is not steak. If He provides an old pickup truck, we should not complain because it is not a Lexus. God will provide our every need. The apostle Paul put it this way, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19. And whatever He supplies, whether it be old or new, plentiful or just enough, we must be thankful. “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” Philippians 4:11-12. God will provide our needs, but not always our wants. We need to be satisfied with whatever He gives us, for everything else is not necessarily a need. Trust Him, for He knows us, and our situation better than we do ourselves.
William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries, Inc.