GOD’S PLAN FOR US IS BETTER THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

John ESENE

     God’s plan for the Israelites was to journey for forty days to their promised land but their negligence increased the period from forty days to forty years. And God fed them with manna from heaven for forty years. When they got the manna, they admitted it was the best food they ever ate. Psalm 107:1 says, “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!” But rather than thanking God, they complained that they did not have meat to eat.

   “There were some foreigners travelling with the Israelites. They had a strong craving for meat, and even the Israelites themselves began to complain: ‘If only we could have some meat! In Egypt we used to eat all the fish we wanted, and it cost us nothing. Remember the cucumbers, the water-melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic we had? But now our strength is gone. There is nothing at all to eat-nothing but this manna day after day!” Num. 11:4-6. When Moses heard them complaining, he was distressed because the Lord was angry with them.

    We are not better than the Israelites because irrespective of what God has done for us, we complain every day: now we are talking about the cold weather and constant rain fall; few months ago, we were talking aggressively about the heath resulting from hot weather as if we would not survive it. So, year in and year out we complain about the weather without praising God for His favours and protection.

    The Psalmist in Psalm 95:6-11 encouraged us to “Come in; let us bow and bend low; let us kneel before the God who made us for He is our God and we the people who belong to His pasture, the flock that is led by His hand. O that today you would listen to His voice! ‘Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as on that day at Massah in the desert when your fathers put me to the test; when they tried me, though they saw my work. For forty years I was wearied of these people and I said: “Their hearts are astray, these people do not know my ways.” Then I took an oath in my anger: “Never shall they enter my rest.”

 

       Most of us are in the habit of giving God conditions when we commune with Him: we want our prayers answered urgently or we look elsewhere like the Israelites in the wilderness. But this is unfair! Jesus who died for our sins is moving around to gather us together and lead us to His Father. Rather than appreciate Jesus’ kindness and follow Him (the way, the truth and life), we bother ourselves with the things of the flesh and risk going our way.

   That you are a Christian does not exempt you from having challenges. Like Jesus surrendered to His Father’s will, let us also surrender ourselves to God’s will in maturity and simplicity. If it is God’s will to remove our suffering from us, He will do so but if it will fulfill His purpose for us, let His will be done. The fact that we are followers of Christ does not exempt us from suffering. “Once more, Jesus went away and prayed, ‘My Father, if this cup of suffering cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.” Mt. 26:42.

     God is with us on our life journey: He knows our needs and is ready to provide for us. So, do not insist on getting what you want as if He has abandoned you. He who created you cares for you more than you do. When the Israelites acted as if God has abandoned them, in such a way that made Moses angry, he hit the rock twice rather than once. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them” Num. 20:13. Let us give special reverence to our priests at all times for the positions they occupy as shepherds. Do not create problems for them like the Israelites did for Moses!

    Criss Jami said, “Listen to God with a broken heart. He is not only the doctor who mends it, but also the Father who wipes away the tears.” We may have to pray thus, “Father, if this problem, pain, sickness, or circumstance is needed to fulfill your purpose and glory in my life or in another’s life, please do not take it away!” With the unconditional surrender of our lives to His loving care and control, God in His infinite kindness will grant us strength, peace, wisdom and purpose through Jesus His Only Begotten Son.

     You may preach the Good News in words or by your way of life (as a model). “Christ message in all its richness must live in your hearts. Teach and instruct each other with all wisdom. Everything you do or say, then should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks through Him to God the Father” Col.3:16-17

     Dear readers, I am not here to criticize Moses or the Israelites of that time. I rather want us to learn lessons from those events to enable us relate with God and those He places over us as shepherds more cordially for our good. We hardly thank God for all He has been doing for us. Instead of complaining, ask God with reverence what lessons He wants you to learn from the events around you.

   Never give up on something you really need. It is difficult to wait but it is more difficult to regret when you missed out because of your negligence and stubbornness. Our loving and merciful God has not changed. He promised to fulfill His plans for us, so let us show gratitude for the things He has done for us, those He is doing now and the ones He is yet to do!