Day 5 - He Keeps Us Going...
- Pastor b.Side
- Jan 5
- 2 min read
Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing; their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. - Nehemiah 9:21
Why should we trust God? Since He is eternally self-existing and self-sustaining, He can create anything according to His purpose. He’s not dependent on pre-existing resources. He doesn’t need help. He always has access to what He needs. This means that He is ALWAYS able to keep His promises. Who else has that kind of ability? This is how God can continually provide for His people. No matter the circumstances, He can sustain because of who He is.
Here’s the rub: God doesn’t always provide for people to the extent we hope. If God CAN produce any result He desires, why won’t He fulfill every prayer request we make? The testimony of Nehemiah 9:21 explains.
“Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness…”
God performed incredible miracles to sustain Israel as they wandered through the wilderness for forty years. Though they lived in a desert wasteland, they lacked nothing. Scripture indicates they even gained wealth and resources during their time in the wilderness! God worked miracles, uniquely equipping Israel to win battles they should have lost, with the spoils of war sustaining and enriching them. Additionally, God performed other miracles without human involvement to sustain life, such as providing manna from heaven for 10,080 days!
“They lacked nothing…”
Why did God perform these acts for Israel but not act on our behalf for things that seem much easier? God’s work with Israel in the past was based on His eternally unconditional covenants that lead to eternal life. God sustained Israel because of His covenants with them, culminating in the fulfillment of salvation once they are all completed. The testimony of God’s miracles to sustain Israel stands as a testament to the lengths God is willing to go to fulfill His covenants with them, all of which point to the revelation of the glory of Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah.
Nehemiah reminded Israel of these things as they rebuilt the land they had been driven from due to their ongoing sin. The task seemed insurmountable. Nehemiah encouraged the people that God can establish and sustain His people because He is faithful to His promises. When it comes to our desires and requests from God, we need to consider this. Do our expectations align with the eternal and spiritually-centered purposes of God? If so, then we can expect God to do whatever is necessary to sustain us as we serve His purposes in that work.
Prayer for today
LORD, help align our heart’s desires and ambitions with the eternal nature of your purposes and promises. Help us navigate life and our expectations with Your spiritual perspective. Jesus, increase our faith where it is lacking as it pertains to Your ability to equip and sustain us as Your instruments to make Your name and glory known, proclaiming Your righteousness to save souls from sin, death, and hell. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Comments