Pray First
I am always so convicted when I read the book of Exodus because even though I don’t want to, I often see myself in those silly Israelite people.
In Exodus chapter 17 we find our Israelites in much of the same grumpy place that they camp their hearts at throughout most of the book. By this point in the story, God has rescued them from Egypt, performed powerful miracles including parting the Red Sea, and he is CURRENTLY raining down manna from heaven every morning for them to eat, yet we find them grumbling to Moses in verse 2 with their typical entitled attitude saying “Give us water to drink!” Just think….they are sitting down for breakfast with a plate of manna cinnamon rolls in front of them that they went and collected that morning, knowing the supplies to eat weren’t in their pantry the night before, and rather than praising God for the miracle sitting in front of them, they decide to whine and complain at what isn’t sitting in front of them! Crazy!
Even more crazy to me is that we don’t find them going to the God that has shown them again and again that He will take care of them, and we don’t even find them kindly approaching Moses with a grateful heart. What we find is a bunch of spoiled, entitled Israelites demanding that Moses provide for them something they feel he has clearly forgotten.
…And if I’m honest, I do the exact same thing.
When I look at my life, I quickly loose count of the times that God has provided for me and for our family. I could share story after story of how God showed up in our lives, right when we needed Him, and yet, when I’m faced with an immediate need, my first inclination is not to take it to the Lord, but instead to whine, complain, and worry about what we are going to do.
While Steve was still finishing up seminary, he took his first “real” ministry job as a Student Pastor in Virginia. The church wanted him to jump in immediately, so although our plan was not to move until he completed his seminary classes, the church officially brought him on staff in March. Every Wednesday, as soon as I got off work and Steve finished classes, we would leave Wake Forest and drive to Virginia Beach so we could be present for the Wednesday evening student services, and begin building relationships with the teenagers. Afterward, we would drive home, arriving back to Wake Forest late at night, so that we could be at work and school the next morning. Additionally, every Saturday we would drive in to Virginia Beach and stay with a kind couple in the church so we could be present for all of the Sunday services and events planned, then we would drive home. The schedule made for some long travel days, but we didn’t yet have any kids so it was manageable….for the most part.
At that time, gas prices had skyrocketed and the cost for us to travel back and forth twice a week was quickly becoming more than our little seminary budget could handle. I was resilient at clipping coupons and cutting costs wherever we could, but the several hundred dollars we were spending each week on gas was becoming unbearable.
One night we found ourselves in Virginia Beach having just finished our Wednesday night student service and preparing to head home. We drove to Walmart to buy some dinner to eat on our drive home, and I found myself complaining to Steve the entire time we were in the store that we didn’t have enough money for everything we needed. “Maybe you should just quit this job in Virginia, and stick with just doing seminary until May like our friends.” I told him. “You can restart your search for a church to serve at once summer comes!” I begged. Steve looked at me with the same kind and understanding look he still gives me today, and asked me one question, “Beth, do you believe God called us to this church?” Frustrated he would back me into this “God corner” I quietly answered back, “Yes.” Then he looked at me with his unshakeable faith that always amazes me and said, “Then trust He’s going to take care of everything we need.”
Moments later we walked out of Walmart and much to our shock, sitting right next to our car was a $100 bill. We looked around to see if anyone had accidently dropped the money, and there was no one nearby. Immediately tears filled my eyes as I realized my own lack of faith and felt humbled that my husband had to remind me to trust. God had provided for us again, like he always had, and rather than looking to Him to provide for our needs I had complained and even asked Steve to consider walking away from the place that I knew God had brought us.
Inside my bible, on the front cover I have written “Remember: Walmart $100” with hopes that it reminds me on the good days and the hard ones to believe God is my Jehovah Jireh – my provider. I don’t want to be a girl that whines and complains to those around me about what I don’t have, or what I think I need, but instead I want to be the girl that immediately takes my needs to the Lord in prayer, trusting and believing He’s got me covered and has a plan to take care of me…and I bet you want to be that girl, too.
This week, as kids are all heading back to school and the new year is beginning, let’s commit to be women that trust He’s got a plan to provide for whatever needs we face. Let’s choose to “Pray First” before even mentioning our complaints to anyone else. Let’s trust He loves us more than we can even comprehend, and if He is willing to give up His one and only Son for us then He is willing and able to take care of whatever situation we bring to Him. Let’s all choose to believe He’s got us, and as we stare into our plate of Manna Cinnamon rolls, let’s turn to Him first about our need for water, modeling to everyone around that they should do the same.