Complete and Utter Dependence

Scripture:
“4 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Look, I'm going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.”
Exodus 16:4
Observation:
Can they Follow My instructions? Can they trust me to lead, provide, and shepherd them? Even Moses was put to the test by God. Brought to the seaming brink of destruction, desolation, dehydration, and starvation the Israelites cried out to Moses, and Moses cried out to God. The difference between Moses and the rest of the Israelites was the heart from which they were crying out. The Israelites cried out of a heart of mistrust and complaining, while Moses cried out of a heart of trust and desperation. Moses trusted God to do something. He trusted God to handle business. The Israelites on the other hand had a very short-lived memory of all that God had done for them. Sure enough God would do something great for them and they would celebrate until the next trial faced.
Application:
I am like Moses or am I like the Israelites? Do I trust God with a deep desperation for him or does mistrust and complaining define my interaction with him? Sadly far too often I praise God when things are good and complain when they are not. But this has become too easy for most Christians today, with our focus on making sure we hoard and store up for tomorrow. Now I am not saying that saving is necessarily bad, we are called to be good stewards, but is God asking his people to let go of their false sense of security and just trust in him for provision. The Church in the West has been a financial powerhouse for a long time. Religion in America is one of country’s highest grossing industries. Have we been storing up the manna instead of utilizing all we can and trusting God to provide more. Churches are dying every day in America with thousands of dollars in the bank and sometimes millions in property holding. While others struggle to trust that you will provide for them.
It is funny this past year the youth ministry’s budget was slashed tremendously, but yet we finished the year in the black. True we cut a lot of the fluff from the ministry and had to be resourceful in how we accomplished things but it was a year of trusting God to provide. More people donated to the ministry, we cut extravagant spending, and focused on what was necessary to move forward in what God had called us to do.
There is something about having to rely on God that allows us to truly experience him. Much of the Christian religion in America is completely devoid of a necessity for God. Why wait for God’s provision when we can store up for ourselves? Right? But maybe, just maybe, like the Israelites God is asking his people to return to a relationship of utter dependence on him.
Prayer:
Lord, as I move forward in this season help me to have complete trust, desperation, and dependence on you and you alone. I pray for your provision of the finances that are necessary to attend school. Amen…