Introducing Food for the Journey - 365 Day Devotional

New for this month is the 365-day devotional Food for the Journey. This volume contains the best teaching from the most-well known speakers from over the years at the Keswick Convention. These readings will teach, inspire and encourage from across the whole canon of scripture.

Throughout July and August we will be sharing inspiring quotes, Scripture passages and extracts to celebrate this new release.

Today's extract is from Numbers.

Day 4
Read Numbers 11:4–15
Key verses: Numbers 11:12–14

12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their ancestors? 13 Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ 14 I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me.

‘I’m a failure; get me out of here!’

Moses is a gifted leader. He has had all the training, expertise and experience of forty years of government service under Pharaoh, but this massive community protest causes him to doubt his own leadership.

In verse 10, we read, ‘The Lord became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled.’ That’s actually a little weak, as the original text says that the people’s complaints are evil in the eyes of Moses. The narrator is yet again contrasting the good things that were supposed to be happening at the end of chapter 10 with the evil that is happening now. Moses and God are quite rightly angry. Moses has told Hobab that things are going to be good, but now he sees that things have become terribly bad.

It’s ironic that, in verse 11, Moses accuses God of doing evil to him. The word used in verse 10 is used again here: ‘God, why did you do evil to me?’ Moses suggests that God should be taking his respon- sibility as a parent a little more seriously, rather than dumping all the chores on to the nanny. He says, ‘Lord, I can’t take it any more.’ This outburst is almost a complete collapse of his self-confidence as a leader. We can look at this positively and say that, at the very least, Moses is not presented here as a James Bond figure. In films, it’s amazing how quickly the hero comes up with a solution and always knows exactly what to do. Nor is Moses a management guru, expertly sitting down to diagnose the problem, coming up with creative ideas that will lead to solutions that everyone agrees to and then moves forward. Moses simply collapses. He is face down before the Lord in desperate inadequacy, desperate dependence. There’s an absence of self-sufficiency. But I think there’s something more serious here. This crisis is causing Moses to doubt not only his own leadership, but God himself.

Feelings of inadequacy and facing criticism are commonplace in Christian ministry. sadly, opposition does not just come from unbelievers. We also face ‘friendly fire’ from fellow Christians. such scenarios can cause us to doubt God, when the exact opposite course of action is needed. When you are wounded, cling to Christ more closely, look to him for strength and guidance, trust his word and his promises. Use this time of weakness to deepen your relationship with Christ. Look to him alone for valid- ation and approval.

Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.
(Psalm 105:4)