“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His perfect and pleasing will.” Romans 12:2, NIV
Have you ever choked on a piece of meat? I remember a time when my dad saved a man’s life by performing the Heimlich maneuver. Meat is good, but if you are not careful it can kill you. Just ask the Israelites.
God was with the Israelites in the desert for forty years, leading them with a pillar of clouds by day and a pillar of fire at night. He was feeding them with manna from Heaven and talking with them through Moses. But a group of rabble (foreigners from Egypt) within their ranks began to complain about eating manna everyday. Discord spread amongst the people like gangrene. When requests for meat reached a crescendo, “Moses heard the people of every family wailing, each at the entrance of his tent.” (Numbers 11:10, NIV)
God was not happy. After putting His Spirit on seventy of Israel’s leaders to help Moses deal with the knuckle heads, He told them “You will not eat it (meat) for just one day, or two days, or five, then or twenty days, but for a whole month – until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it – because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you, and have wailed before Him saying, why did we ever leave Egypt?” (Numbers 11:19-20, NIV) God caused quail to be blown into the camp from the sea just like He had done the evening before the very first manna rain. However this time, God sent so many quail that the people were practically swimming in birds. The people collected and cooked the birds but the Bible says, “while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the Lord burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague.” (Numbers 11:33, NIV)
As I was thinking about this story the thought occurred to me that we are really no different than the Israelites. How many times has God led me and given me manna? Why am I still not satisfied? How many times have I looked to the wisdom of men, instead of looking to God’s Word for answers? How many times have I wondered why God was not speaking to me, as I prayed with “worldly quail” in my teeth? The only difference between the Israelites and me is that Jesus took the punishment that I deserve on the cross.
Dear Lord please help me to spit out the quail of the world and be satisfied with your manna. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins Jesus, and filling me with your Holy Spirit. Please cleanse me in your blood and help me to see your perfect and pleasing will for my life so that your glory will shine through my brokenness.
Manna and Coffee 