Be Careful What You Pray For!

Preaching Numbers 11 today presented many problems for me, many of which I didn't share with the church but I praise God that the deeper we dig, we never hit rock bottom.

Why did God punish the children of Israel for grumbling about the food and asking for meat in the second year of wandering in the wilderness, recorded in Numbers 11, but not the previous year when they had made the same request (Exodus 16:11-18)? What so distinguishes the two events that it would demand the judgment of God in the second instance but not in the first?

When Israel complained, they were doing more than objecting to a monotonous diet; they were challenging the goodness of God and his ability to provide for them. The affair in Numbers 11:4 began when the "rabble" of the foreign element that had joined the Israelites in their exodus from Egypt (Exodus 12:38) began wailing about the lack of meat and vegetables in their diet.

The rest of the people of Israel joined in, and the pressure was on for Moses and the leadership of the nation. God does say "No" for a reason. He does forbid certain things for our benefit. Israel was ungrateful for God's provisions and the Lord lets them have their own way and desires. He teaches them a big lesson. Getting your own way will not always make you happy. You may find that you will get what you want, but lose what you had.

God does not force obedience. Yes, He expects it, desires it, demands it but He does not force us, He does not overpower us, you have a choice. If you choose to walk away from God, as much as he does not want to see you go, God does not make you stay. Therefore, there are times when God says No but in our stubborn and hard hearts we reject him, so God will allow us, turn us over to our selfish desires and we will have to deal with the consequences of our actions.

Lot got the wealth and prestige of Sodom. He got what he wanted but he lost his family and his home. Many parents make the same mistake in their quest for wealth. They are gone so much, that the kids never see the parents or the spouses never see one another. This is a prescription for a troubled marriage and family. Samson got his own way. He got the wild woman he wanted and he lost his strength, sight, freedom, and life.

David got Bathsheba. He had his sexual fling with this beautiful woman, but he lost his peace and the blessing of the Lord on his home. Peace may not seem to be a big deal, but it is when you realize you have lost it. Immorality leads to misery and guilt. If you fool around, you are a fool. Be careful what you pray for.

God orders and ordains what is on the menu!

God knows what we can handle! Obedience is a voluntary act. Rejection of God always carried consequences! Prayerfully, God will arrange this into a nice preaching form and I don't die a horrible death today.

Owens