Tuesday, July 31, 2012

HUNGER

Scripture:  Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.--Exodus 16: 2 - 4, 9 -15

While reading this passage, it can be easy to criticize the Israelites for complaining after Moses has freed them from bondage in Egypt. They were tired, hungry, and wandering with no end in sight. They were free, but after suffering from hunger, for them, captivity was preferred. Can we blame them? I know I can be quite irrational when I’m hungry. 

One would hope the Israelites would be grateful to Moses for their freedom, but they were grumbling and complaining. Their freedom from slavery wasn’t sign enough that God took notice of them. Their bellies too had to be filled. God decided to honor their physical needs so they could remember liberation from the desert and Egypt. God knew they were being irrational, he cleared their cloudy thinking with quail and manna from heaven. They were filled and thanked their sovereign God.

Prayer:  God, we know that hunger can distort our reality, but continue to feed us so that we can see your great power. Prevent our physical hunger from overshadowing our spiritual hunger for you. Amen.

Emma Akpan