Numbers 11 (Monday)

We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic. But now our soul is dried away; there is nothing at all besides this manna before our eyes. (Numbers 11:5-6).

Tommy is in Italics

Right now I am on an airplane next to Tommy. I am also sitting next to this other person, however, I do not know their name and so have nothing else to say about them. Please continue to keep Tommy and I in your prayers as we journey through the State of California in pursuit of gold - you heard me right, GOLD!

This verse is like an alarm clock in my life. Think about Israel right now. They are journeying through the desert. It is hard. They are tired. I am sure it is uncomfortable at times. God is doing a work through them! He is providing their directions and their food. What does Israel do? They begin to complain. Interesting enough, they begin to look back to Egypt.

Egypt is always a picture of the world. We need not go back in that direction. We have been freed from it, and to return to it is to willingly return to slavery. What happens when we start to focus on Egypt rather than God?

1. We replace the desire to follow Jesus with the pursuit of the what the world has to offer.

2. Our souls are dried up.

3. We stop noticing the supernatural provision of God.

I am challenged. Am I interested today in what the world has to offer or what the Lord has to offer? The sad thing is, the world always leaves your soul dried up. Sure, the world is a land of meat, melons, cucumbers, and tomatoes, but God ha appointed a Promised Land for us flowing with milk and honey. Sounds like what I put in my tea in the morning. More importantly, the Lord will never let your soul run dry.

Finally, check out what else happens when you stop focusing on the Lord. You stop seeing His supernatural provision!!!! Think about all the promises of God in your own life. When we start focusing on what the world can do for us we forget about what God is doing for us. No wonder the Bible tells us to, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings, so that you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. Among these you shine as lights in the world” (Phi. 2:14-15). That may sound intense, but when you consider what complaining is, it makes perfect sense. If your desire is to draw closer to Jesus, then refrain to complain. (oh boy that rhymes). Tommy just wrote his own rhyme in the next devo, see if you can find it.