February 8

Numbers 11:23

The LORD answered Moses, "Is the LORD's arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you."

I'm sure there were a lot of times where Moses felt overwhelmed, stretched thin, and pulled in many different directions. He was the leader of a nation of over 3 million people. Needless to say, this job came with a lot of responsibilities. On top of all the tasks and people he was in charge of, he had to deal with complaining as well. There was no end to the grumbling: How are we going to get water? How are we going to get food? We don't like this food. Where are we going? When will we get there? Why did we have to leave Egypt? Is God going to leave us to die out here in the desert? 

In Numbers 11, the people were tired of eating manna and complained about wanting something different to eat. They wanted meat and started reminiscing about the "good times" in Egypt when they supposedly had all the variety of food they wanted (and apparently forgot that they were slaves as well!) Moses had enough and cried out to God. "Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?" The Lord then promised He would provide the people with the meat they asked for. Moses then asked how that would be possible since there were so many of them. Then God sent quail from the sea, more than enough meat for the people to eat.

I certainly can relate to Moses. Moses was so overwhelmed with his present situation that he lost sight of how big God is. He made his problems bigger than the Lord and he lost hope. Like the Israelites, he began complaining. Then when God promised to provide meat, he questioned God on how He would do it. Now, think about that. Moses asked God, the Creator of the universe and the One who rescued an entire nation of over 3 million from slavery, how He would provide them with enough meat. Moses was still making his problems bigger than His God. 

I must admit that last week I was very much like Moses. I made my present situation and problems bigger than my God and I suffered for it. I felt hopeless and I felt sorry for myself and I couldn't possibly see how anything could get better. Then God revealed the answer to me: I was making Him too small. My focus was all wrong. As soon as I confessed that God was bigger than any situation I was in and that He needed to be the center of all things I do, I could feel a tremendous weigh lifted off my shoulders. When God is bigger than our problems, then with Him, we can make it through anything.

I guarantee that all of us can relate to Moses. I want encourage you if you are feeling overwhelmed to change your focus from your big problems to your even bigger God. He is infinitely powerful and He loves us more than we could possibly imagine. He wants to help us through the difficult times in our lives. I encourage you to let Him.