Blame or Credit God?

Read Exodus 15:22-18
 
Exodus 16:3 “If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.” … 8 Then Moses added, “The Lord will give you meat to eat in the evening and bread to satisfy you in the morning, for he has heard all your complaints against him. What have we done? Yes, your complaints are against the Lord, not against us.”
 
ISRAEL was thirsty at Marah. Now they are hungry in the wilderness at Sin (sine) near Mt. Sinai, where God first came to Moses. As Moses once argued with God here, Israel now complained against God. They also criticized Moses and Aaron for the lack of food. Some might see Moses’ response to Israel’s anger and impatience as shifting the blame away from himself and toward God. But Moses was pointing Israel to God’s supreme authority over all things. Israel needed to personally know that in all things, they fully belong to God. God has a land of promise awaiting his people. Will they submit to his leadership to the land and life in his provision?   
   This, of course, is true for Jesus’ church today. God has a heaven prepared for his own. Will we trust his leadership through life to eternity? The apostle Paul wrote of God’s personal care in Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. With awe and worship we are to humbly submit to God’s headship. To know “God did it!” – he saved us to himself is to recognize he is El-Shaddai – LORD God Almighty. When we only see the immediate circumstances, let’s pause and put God’s commands over our demands. Trust he is guiding us to the good.
   And consider this. If Moses had not pointed to God as the Supreme Leader, Moses might have received the credit when God daily delivered the manna. God’s leaders are to never say, “I did this.” Instead they must always proclaim I AM’s authority in humble submission to his will. Know the Holy Spirit leads you. See God’s provision in the trials, so you will celebrate him in the victories.
 
Time to Rest
 
Exodus 18:14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What are you really accomplishing here? Why are you trying to do all this alone while everyone stands around you from morning till evening?”
 
 MOSES was overwhelmed with hundreds of people coming to him daily to decide their disputes. So Jethro gave Moses an administration plan. Moses was then able to focus on his primary role to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him. To teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives. (Exodus 18:19b).
   Moses couldn’t do it all and neither can you. If you are overwhelmed with work and responsibilities, remember God doesn’t want you to wear down. He wants to build you up into an effective kingdom citizen. Do you need help? Remember the Holy Spirit is your Helper. Pray for God’s guidance. Know when to work and when to rest. That’s what Jesus did. Mark 6:31 Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.