June 6, 2013 … Gathering In Fear or Faith?

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2013 - Day 157

Passage of the Day #1: Exodus 16: 20 [In the context of verses 19: 20] [NLT] …  
19 Then Moses told them, “Do not keep any of it overnight.” 20 But, of course, some of them didn’t listen and kept some of it until morning. By then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. And Moses was very angry with them.
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 Contextual Study for today’s passage: Exodus, Chapter 16 [NLT] … Go to this link … 
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Reference Passage #1: Proverbs 3: 5-6 [How often does God need to repeat it!] [NLT] …  
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths.

Reference Passage #2: Proverbs 6: 6-8 [Doing what it takes – but no more.] [NLT] …  
6 Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! 7 Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, 8 they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter.

My Journal for Today: The Bible seems quite clear (from the proverbs quoted above) that we, as His children, are to do what it takes, being diligent and good stewards of God’s providence, to plan ahead by gathering, like the ants in the summer, for the winter. However, the lesson God’s people should have learned from the episode involving manna in Exodus 16 was that we should not plan ahead and save for the future out of fear, but rather rely on God to faithfully provide all of what we need.

But how often are we like God’s children in Exodus 16, doing all we can, in our own understanding and works, to hoard away all we can while we have the opportunity rather than trusting that God is going to provide for our needs. Maybe you’re not like this; but I’m afraid that we [well, at least I] too often do what it takes to store up what we can out of fear rather than working in faith, believing that God is our Provider.

I don’t think I need to go on here, … cajoling, teaching, or exhorting what we know to be God’s truth. So often we operate out of fear rather than faith, don’t we? And we work hard (which is a good thing); but we do so because we don’t have enough trust in our Jehovah Jireh, … i.e., God, as Provider.

I’m afraid I’m reading and writing here in conviction; and I need to have more trust that God is going to provide what I need if I’m able to do just what it takes to gather in faith rather than to hoard in fear.

My Prayer for Today … Thank You, Lord, for this lesson in the workmanship of faith. … Amen