A TEST!

A TEST!

For forty years I led you in the wilderness, yet your clothes and sandals did not wear out.   You ate no bread and drank no wine or strong drink, so that you might know that I am the LORD your God. —Deuteronomy 29:5-6

            While The Israelites were in the wilderness for forty years our Lord took care of them. Miraculously He caused their clothes not to wear out. Their sandals also did not wear out either. Think about how our Lord cared for them just in this area!   Wow!

            We know that He provided food for them for every day for forty years as well.   Think about that. There were probably 1½ million to 2 million people that our Lord fed every day… EVERY DAY… for forty years! This puts perspective on Jesus feeding the thousands. It was not difficult for Him to do—- whether millions for 40 years or thousands for one meal. The universe Creator can surely take care of one planet!

            Why did our Lord do this?— “Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands” (Deuteronomy 8:2). The wilderness experience was a test to “test what was in your heart” and to see if the Israelites “would keep His commands.” Would they depend on Him and be obedient to Him? It was also to humble them— dealing with their pride.

            There is a bit of a “wilderness experience” coming upon us today with this corona virus. This is surely a trial or test that is coming upon us. How will we as followers of Jesus handle it? Will we trust Him and be obedient to Him through it? Will we be humble and deal with our pride? James tells is that we are to

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do (James 1:2-8).

            This is what was taking place in the wilderness and this is what is happening to us today. Our Lord will seek to do good work in our lives and through our lives during this time.   May we yield to His purposes and be the people He desires us to be through it.

Dear Father please help me to be sensitive to what You desire to do in and through my life and in the lives around me. Please help me to be the servant You desire me to be during this time and for the rest of my life. May this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus.   So be it!