April 23

Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. Deuteronomy 8:4,5.

The Israelites had grumbled for 40 years as they made laps around the desert. We would do the same thing. It seems that man wants to return to what is familiar, even when that solution is harmful to him. The slavery of Egypt seemed better than the strange ways of the Lord as He conducted His discipline upon them. The manna, the water from the rock (which was Christ), the quail in overabundance—all were a test of their faith in God. Would they look to Him as the loving provider? No, they would look to Him and grumble. They did not even marvel that their clothing never wore out in forty years. Wouldn’t you think they would have noticed!

I am often afraid for this country we call America. We have been blessed in countless ways, yet I see grumbling directed toward God. We are taking Him out of our schools, our government, our daily decision making, and the result is that we constantly overlook the wonderful blessings that He has already given us. Man has a deceitful heart when he thinks that he can do all things alone.

Lord, let me be totally aware of Your discipline. I turn too often to my own resources, all the while knowing that Your way is ultimately better. Let me appreciate in a new way all that You have done for all of Your followers. We have the light of the world, Jesus, to be our guide through the “desert” of this world. Nothing is of value unless You are the provider, and I can know beyond any doubt that You have unlimited supplies of what we need. They will never wear out. Amen.
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