Read: Exodus 16:1-16
The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” (v. 3 NIV)
Do you miss your little conveniences when they suddenly disappear? I know I do. When our water district had a pump fail, they issued a boil order order. We had to boil all of our water before using it. Unexpectedly the convenience of taking a drink right from the tap or using running water to brush our teeth was gone.
Sometimes God calls his people to give up some of life’s conveniences to follow him. The Israelites experienced this when he delivered them out of slavery. In the desert, their journey became difficult. They faced a food and water crisis and they responded by longing to return to Egypt. Rather than letting his people go back, God cared for them in the desert. He provided manna and quail to satisfy their hunger (v. 12). When the people had nothing to drink—God provided water from a rock (17:6).
God is with us, always. Maybe he has called you to follow him into the mission field and give up life’s conveniences for a time. Or you might feel like your age or disability is making life less simple than it once was. No matter how difficult life gets, we can have the assurance that God will lead us through the wilderness of inconvenience.
As you pray, ask God to help you keep following him when life becomes difficult.
About the Author
Steven Laman is a writer and public speaker who has lived with cerebral palsy since his birth in 1970. Steven is a prolific devotional writer for Words of Hope, and the author of three books: My Journey God’s Grace, Strength in Weakness and My Grace Is Sufficient. He also volunteers as a teacher’s aide. He lives with his parents in Iowa.
