I Thought the Children of Israel Were Weak....then I

The longer I live this new faith-life, where everything comes from God's hand....  No, let me try that again.

Everything I have ever needed and that is worth having has always come from God's loving hand to me not because I deserved it, but because He loves me - always has, always will.

This "new faith-life",  as I call it, is simply living in more direct dependence upon my Father than ever.  For the last several decades my personal and family needs have been supplied by my Father through the salaries He allowed me to receive from churches or schools where I was employed.  Now He has become my True Employer.  He called me out of a salaried position - with great benefits and a wonderful group with which to work at a ministry that is perhaps one of the most influential in the world today - to serve on His staff answering directly to Him (and our board).

Every day starts with a decision; namely, will I trust Him today or not?

I need you to know that my attitude of judgment toward the Children of Israel (remember the Jewish people God delivered from Egypt to the Promised Land) has now changed to one of understanding how easy it is to lose a grateful heart, trading it for one that "almost demands" God to meet needs.  When that supply doesn't come regularly and in abundance (by my definition) I can get pretty scared or rather disappointed in God and / or God's people.

Well, the truth is coming to light.  I am asking pastors, leaders, couples, and others to trust completely in our Father's faithful love and provision.  I am asking them to endure when their spouse doesn't love back,  as they'd anticipated.  I am telling them often and fervently that Jesus Christ is the Savior not only for hereafter but also for here.  I am now getting the chance to grow up into faith in a new way, and I love it and hate it all at the same time.  We are living in this new realm of even more faithfully "practicing what we preach". 

So, I apologize to the Children of Israel with whom I used to become so frustrated for their lack of faith and their waywardness.  I understand that placing faith in God daily is neither natural nor automatic.  His Word, His Holy Spirit, His Son Jesus, and His ability to love me even when I fail and drift are all drawing me along this path to appreciate God more as my Father (my Abba/Dad), to trust His loving care more often, to honestly admit it when I fear, and to remember I don't change people on my time-schedule; rather God changes people in His way and in His time.