WHEN YOU LACK FOR NOTHING BUT STILL WANT MORE
Christmas is only 61 days away. Wow, this year has flown by even though it seems like it has lasted forever. I’ve already purchased several Christmas presents, which is some kind of a record for me. Normally, I am struggling at the last minute to find those last-minute gifts. It is so hard to buy presents because most of us already have everything that we need.
I was reading in Nehemiah yesterday, and these two verses stopped me in my tracks. They made me think about the 40 years that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness in a whole different way.
Nehemiah 9:20-21
20 You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst. 21 For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.
These two verses show the Lord’s faithfulness and how He cared for His people. He gave His Spirit to give them instructions and directions. I knew that the Lord gave them manna to eat so that they wouldn’t go hungry. The people grumbled about manna, and they longed for something different, but they didn’t starve. The Lord provided!
Even though I knew that the Israelites wandered around in the desert, I never thought about how they found water. How in the world did they wander for forty years and just happened to always find water to keep them from going thirsty? This is a huge thing; people have to have water to survive. I am sure that the people longed for wine to drink, but they didn’t go thirsty. The Lord provided!
When the Israelites left Egypt, I doubt if they were dragging a huge Samsonite suitcase with them. It wasn’t like they packed several months’ worth of clothing with them; it was probably more like several days worth of clothing instead. Never once did I even consider how those clothes didn’t rot or become threadbare from forty years worth of wear. Did the people get tired of wearing the same clothing over and over again? More than likely, they wished for different clothes, but they didn’t go naked. The Lord provided!
In those days, a lot of people walked barefoot. Some would wrap their feet in cloth, and some were lucky enough to have sandals. Have you ever walked on the beach in sandals? The sand is so aggravating and hard to walk on since it keeps getting in your sandals that I usually take them off and carry them in my hands. The Israelites walked for FORTY years in the desert sand, and their feet never became swollen. The Lord provided!
They lacked nothing! Those three words made me realize how blessed I am. I have more than I need, but I find myself always wanting more. I have enough clothing to last me for years, but I still buy more. My car still works fine and takes me where I want to go, but I upgrade to a new one every couple of years. Whenever a new iPhone hits the market, I start to find reasons why the phone I currently have isn’t good enough.
Am I like the Israelites? I lack for nothing, but I am never satisfied and always looking for more than I need. I’m so thankful for God’s word, reminding me of His faithfulness and guiding me to a more thankful perspective.
Have a blessed week!
This is such an honest and genuine reflection. I too struggle with false idols and feel convicted at times. I’ve gone on shopping fasts for a couple months and then did a charitable contribution. Thanks for sharing. I think it’s a struggle many of us share.
I went on a shopping fast once, and I thought that I was going to explode. Lol!
Amen, I struggle with this all the time, I don’t need anything but always seem to be shopping. Please pray for me too that I will be satisfied with what JESUS has blessed me and my family with. Our health, home, vehicles, jobs, food. We are so blessed, I want to give GOD all the glory and praise👏🏻🙏🏻