HAS THE LORD’S ARM BEEN SHORTENED?

NUMBERS 11:21-23: “And Moses said, “The people whom I am among are six hundred thousand men on foot; yet You have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.’ Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?” And the LORD said to Moses, “Has the LORD’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.” NKJV

OBSERVATION: Will the superheroes of faith please stand up? If we look at the Biblical record honestly we will find no one standing. The Bible is filled with ordinary men and women who were called to believe and do extraordinary things for God through faith. They were called to trust God for the impossible in impossible situations.

They did not always do this with flying colors. In fact, they responded to God’s call in a variety of ways. Some ran from His call. Others argued with God over His call, while many doubted what God said He was able to perform. Moses, the key figure in the Old Testament and in the life of the nation of Israel, did all three.

Numbers chapter 11 begins with the people complaining to Moses that they did not have any meat to eat. They were tired of the Manna and longed for the food they ate freely in Egypt. Moses’ response to their complaining was to do some himself.

“Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and do not let me see my wretchedness!” (Num 11:13-15)

This does not sound like a mighty man of faith. It sounds like a normal man under unusual stress. The stress of leading Israel out of Egypt and putting up with their stubbornness and complaining was getting to Moses. Moses, in his frustration, did not come to God in faith but in weariness and desperation. He would rather the Lord take his life than continue dealing with this rebellious and ungrateful nation!

I love how the grace of God reaches us at our most vulnerable times of human need. God comes alongside Moses and gives Moses a plan to share the leadership among 70 of the elders of Israel. Then God tells Moses that He will give the children of Israel meat to eat. The Lord would not provide it just for a few days or weeks – but for a whole month until they abhorred the thought of eating it again.

Once again we see the humanity of Moses. I know that if I were in Moses’ shoes I would have reacted the exact same way. Many times we come to the Lord earnestly and desperately in prayer. We pour out our hearts to Him with our requests. Then, when He speaks to us, when we read His promises, rather than rise up in faith…

WE DOUBT!

Moses doubted!

“You have said, ‘I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month.’ Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them, to provide enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to provide enough for them?”

Faith looks to God. Doubt looks to our circumstances. Moses looked out over the sea of people and wondered – “How can this be possible?” Then Moses did what we all do. He began to look at every possible way God could do this and was not able to find one way that made sense. This is what I call calculator faith. God promises to meet all of our needs if we seek first His Kingdom. Yet, instead of trusting God, I pull out my calculator and try and figure out how He can do this with the limited resources I have!

I love God’s answer to Moses (and to you and me).

“And the LORD said to Moses, “Has the LORD’s arm been shortened? Now you shall see whether what I say will happen to you or not.”

Think about this for a moment. Moses was focused on what he could see. God was focused on what He could do. Moses saw the improbability of the situation. God saw His unlimited resources. Why couldn’t the God of all creation do this one small thing? The one who created everything we see, is He not strong enough to provide what we cannot see?

Each day we are faced with situations that try our faith. When we face these mountains they can seem insurmountable. We don’t have enough rope to climb the mountain. We don’t have the tools to tunnel through the mountain. We don’t have enough supplies to travel around the mountain. How will we ever move this mountain?

Yet, if the Lord has called us to the other side of the mountain – He will provide a way. Faith is not inactivity. Faith is positioning our lives in anticipation of what God has promised and allowing Him to bring it to pass in His way according to His timing. There is nothing too hard for the God of all creation. His arm was not shortened to perform what He promised to Moses.

And, His arm is not shortened to fulfill His promises in our lives!

Faith rests in the promises of God. Doubt runs for the calculator and tries to figure it out. Faith waits for God to move and moves in participation with what He is doing. Doubt either loses heart and does nothing or tries to forge ahead and make God’s promises happen. Moses was honest enough to realize he could not do anything in his situation. God was gracious enough to remind Moses that what he could not do – God was able to perform!

Faith always begins with honesty. When we are honest with God about our doubts and lack we are putting ourselves in the proper position to have faith in God. As long as we trust in our own solutions, strength, and resources – we will not wholly and fully cling to the promises of God in faith. Faith is activated at our moment of honest self-evaluation and surrender to the promises and power of God.

The cross reminds us that what we could not do – God was able to perform. We could not overcome sin and the power of death. God overcame them by sending His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, to die on the cross. Every provision for our life, every promise from God, finds their Yes and Amen in the full and complete sacrifice of Jesus Christ. When Jesus rose from the dead He proclaimed to all the world,

“Has the Lord’s arm been shortened?”

As Paul writes in the book of Romans,

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”(Rom 8:31-32)

Lord, thank You for reminding me today that Your arm is not shortened. I know that all things are possible to those who believe. Forgive me for the times that I doubt, complain, and trust in my own limited understanding and resources. Grant me the eyes of faith to know that You are for me and that You will meet all of my needs in Christ Jesus my Lord!

In Jesus’ Name!