I’m reading the book of Exodus right now and I find myself super upset at the movie The Prince of Egypt, because I was not prepared with how angry I would be with the Israelites and their complaining! If you haven’t read Exodus, what basically happens is, God chooses Moses to be the advocate for the Israelites against Pharaoh. Moses goes to Pharaoh and is like “Dude, we gotta go so we can go worship God.” And of course Pharaoh’a like, “Nah.” So then God sends 10 crazy plagues and each time Pharaoh agrees and then changes his mind. So finally Pharaoh’s like, “Take them and leave NOW!” So Moses and the Israelites start making their way to the promise land. One giant part of the story is when God uses Moses and his staff to split the Red Sea so that all of the Israelites would walk through it and make it to the other side. Here begins my frustration.
Along the way people start getting really angry at Moses because they don’t have the exact comforts that they had in Egypt. They get hungry and start complaining because they don’t have food. So Moses goes to God and of course God provides! Not only does He provide, He does it in a crazy way that only He can do. Food raining from heaven, are you kidding me?! So then they get thirsty and the Lord tells Moses to go to a rock and BOOM, water begins to flow. There are a few other miracles that I didn’t mention, but I think you get the point that God provides, especially when He calls you to do something. A huge thing that hasn’t changed is that they will not stop complaining and worrying. After EVERYTHING the Lord did, they still found something to complain about.
When I finished reading these chapters, I just sat and thought, “Lord, these people complain after everything you have done. You split a Sea and mad food rain from Heaven and they still complain!” And then in a still and patient voice the Lord says, “Daughter, you are doing the same thing now. You are an Israelite.”
This move to Arlington has not been ideal. Its been hard and annoying and I feel like I would be better off in San Antonio. I found myself asking something the Israelites have said over and over again, “God why have you brought me here to die.” God why did you bring me here to no job and no money? Why did you bring me here with no friends or spiritual family? Why couldn’t have I stayed with the familiar and the consistent? Why? Why? Why?
I ask a lot of questions hoping to get immediate answers. Hoping that the Lord would reveal how He is going to pull off the things that I ask for daily. But, of course He never even drops a hint. He says things like, “Jarren, you are my daughter and I have not forgotten about your requests. Daughter, you are worth every penny that is coming your way. Daughter, remember my faithfulness in the past but, know that it doesn’t compare to what is to come in the future.”
So, I am no longer an Israelite who feels like there roaming around in the dessert with nothing to eat or drink. I no longer feel like a failure who got scammed out of a job. I no longer feel like I won’t have enough money to take on the Race to do fun things. Although I have no job, no source of income and Blake Griffin and I aren’t actually dating, I have a God who is constant. I have a God who loves me.
I have a God who provides.
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:13-14
