Once again let's start with scripture.
I love this pericope of scripture because it completely captures Moses' blunt and honest feelings. He has been in the wilderness with the Israelites for over a month, they have seen the incredible providence of God as He brings water forth from rocks and makes manna fall from the sky, not to mention parting the Red Sea, yet they continue to grumble and complain about him (Moses) leading them into the wilderness. Moses has been quietly stuffing his feelings and putting one foot in front of the other, but this time it has proven to be too much and he decides to lay it all out before God.
NLT
Numbers 11:10 Moses heard all the families standing in front of their tents weeping, and the LORD became extremely angry. Moses was also very aggravated. 11 And Moses said to the LORD, "Why are you treating me, your servant, so miserably? What did I do to deserve the burden of a people like this? 12 Are they my children? Am I their father? Is that why you have told me to carry them in my arms-- like a nurse carries a baby-- to the land you swore to give their ancestors? 13 Where am I supposed to get meat for all these people? They keep complaining and saying, 'Give us meat!' 14 I can't carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy! 15 I'd rather you killed me than treat me like this. Please spare me this misery!"
"Lord did you call me to be a babysitter? Is this your plan for me, to coddle and carry these ungrateful people? Where do you expect me to get meat for all of them? Is this really a burden I deserve?" The true feelings of anger and frustration come pouring out, and rightfully so. Moses feels responsible for the entire nation of Israel, for their well being, for their hope and even for their position before the Lord. God called him and gave him Aaron, but even Aaron proved to be less than an effective helper as he makes a golden calf for the Israelites. The burden is huge and Moses is trying to shoulder it alone. He has come to that place where he tells God that he can't do it anymore, so God might as well just kill him now and get it over with, because the complaining of the Israelites is sure to kill him and death by the Almighty has to be a better death!
The question that seems to be right between the lines the entire discourse is simply, "God was this your plan for me?" Was it God's plan for Moses to shoulder all of this burden alone? Or has Moses taken on way more than God ever planned in his pride and desire to control? My guess this morning is that this is Moses doing. Like many of us and especially me, Moses has taken on more than God or anyone every intended and tried to get it all done. The problem with folks like that is that you cannot tell them they need help, they have to come to the realization themselves. God knows this and based upon His quick and immediate response He has merely been waiting on Moses to come to this conclusion.
The moment that Moses cries out and admits that he cannot do this by himself, God immediately responds and tells him to raise up 70 elders on whom God will share some of the leadership spirit that He has bestowed upon Moses. It was never God's plan for Moses to do it all, but Moses needed to know that he couldn't do this without God and the help of others. Do any of us find ourselves in the same kind of place today? Have we taken on way too much out of our own pride? Has that created frustration and anger with others and with God? If that is the case, let us each learn from Moses this morning and cry out to God asking for help and then let us be ready to accept that help from whomever God raises up. We can do all things through God who strengthens us, not through us who strengthens us!
Your brother in Christ,
Faron
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