Even Moses Wanted Out (More than Once)

Have you ever reached the point where you said “enough is enough”, “get me outta here”, or worse “just kill me!”? For some there are days, months, and even years where this could have been printed on a t-shirt and worn as a billboard for all to see.  Mama said there would be days like this but, she never said how many there would be or how long they would last.

When you see the walls crashing in from all sides, when the boss is on your back, the trustee board is displeased, when the kids cannot be satisfied, when your spouse is difficult to live with, when the frustration and disappointment of your unmet goals, and dreams hits you like a linebacker from behind, it is a temptation to simply shout “get me outta here, it’s not worth all this”.

It would nice to believe it is a comfort that we’re not alone, yet somehow it doesn’t always make us feel better.  So, where and how can we find lasting hope in a world of trouble?  While lasting comfort doesn’t come from misery loving company, the Scriptures do provide lasting truth in the midst of the suffering.

Numbers 11:11:-15

Moses is leading the people of Israel in the actual first season of “Survivor: The Sinai Wilderness” So, like the reality television series guess what the people are doing?  Complaining, blaming, and threatening to abandon the island or vote Moses off.  So take a look at his response as he tries to lead God’s people (1 million of them).

11 Moses said to the Lord, “Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? 12 Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a nursing child,’ to the land that you swore to give their fathers? 13 Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me and say, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness.”

It is awesome that the Scriptures can be so real, visceral and raw at times.  Moses comes to his God with the Hebrew equivalent  “Really? This is what it’s going to be like?”  There are a few things we can glean from this passage that may encourage, help and guide us when days like this take us over.

God Doesn’t Mind Questions: It would appear that both the children of Israel and Moses himself are complaining in this encounter.  When we look ahead we see that God distinguishes between the complaints of Israel and Moses’ requests.  There is only one explanation, the heart.  God knows the heart of Moses and knows him to be humble.  (see 12:3) Israel, not so much.  It’s not our questions but our hearts that God is reading.  Let us humble ourselves. (James 4:6)

God is the Equalizer: In the same way God discerns the heart He will always judge rightly in every situation.  Moses wasn’t always right and suffered his own consequences from time to time.  In this case, God did hear the plea for help from Moses and provided 70 elders to help care for the people.  At the same time, he gave Israel what they asked for too, but he did it in such a way that they would not make the same mistake twice.  (11:31-35) God equalized the situation.  If we will “make our requests known to God” humbly, he will equalize and be gracious and just.

God Embraces Surrender: In his request, Moses wasn’t rejecting God’s provision as much as he was asking for assistance with His burden.  Israel on the other hand was rejecting God’s provision as insufficient and not appealing to their tastes.  In his human weakness Moses throws up the white flag in surrender saying he would rather die than see his own sinful heart played out among the people.  In his moment of surrender it may just be that God was allowing Moses to learn of his need for help.  By embracing his surrender just maybe God was saying.. I never asked you to carry the burden alone.  It is in surrender that we often see the handiwork of God.