IS THE LORD'S ARM TOO SHORT?

Dear Beloved,
IS THE LORD'S ARM TOO SHORT?
"The LORD answered Moses, 'Is the LORD's arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you'" (Numbers 11:23, NIV).
The Lord had been leading the people of Israel out of Egypt to the Promised Land for over two years with many signs and wonders. However, it seemed the people were not ready to accept God for who He is - the ever-caring God. They were fond of complaint and rebellion whenever they were in hardship. They even tried to set up another god for themselves when it seemed Moses, the man God was using among them, was nowhere to found (see Exodus 32)! In spite of all the ways God was using to bring them back to their senses, they were still grumbling for what God did not do for them. It came to a point that Moses was tired of bearing their burden. He wanted to die (Numbers 11:10-15).
Nevertheless, in this state of hopelessness, God rose to reduce the burden of Moses by selecting other seventy elders in Israel to be helping him. As for the cause of the Israelites' complaint - meat to eat - God promised, "You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, but for a whole month…" (Numbers 11:19-20a, NIV). What a wonderful God! Moses could not understand this. How would God feed over six hundred thousand men with meat not to talk of the women and the children? "Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?" (Numbers 11:22, NIV), he questioned God. Responding, God said, "Is the LORD's arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you" (Numbers 11:23, NIV). God did provide the meat, even in excess! However, the meat became a snare to the people because of their unbelief (Numbers 11:31-34).
In what way are you also complaining against God? Do you think that He cannot provide for you? Do you also doubt the ability of God to act in your situation? Let me ask you as God asked Moses: "Is the LORD's arm too short?"
"Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear" (Isaiah 59:1 NIV).
In His service,
Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).

NB
This message was first sent out on February 27, 2005.