God Meets Our Physical Needs

There was a Pepsi commercial showing a man crawling along a hot desert sand dune. He was near the end of life, his thirst crying out from every pore in his body. Suddenly, off in the distance he sees a truck drive up. It has the familiar red and white Coca-Cola sign on the side. It pulls up right next to him and the driver passes him an icy, cold bottle to drink. "No Pepsi?" he sighs, "No thanks!" And he crawls on off into the desert.

This was a cute commercial. Yet it illustrates a great spiritual truth in regard to our relationship with God. God wants to provide for you -- including your physical needs. Do you appreciate the fact that God wants to provide for your needs? Or are you sometimes like the man in the desert -- forsaking the provision because it is not quite what you want? I think all of us can act that way at times. Nevertheless, it is always true that God wants to provide for you -- He wants to provide for all your needs (Phil. 4:19), including physical needs such as thirst and hunger.

As the Israelites marched through the desert, they had to learn this important truth. Thank God, He wants to provide for us! Yet, like the Israelites, you and I must learn to appreciate God's desire and ability to provide for our needs. He really, really does love us! How, then, can we turn away from the blessings of His provision for us? We turn away by complaining. God desires to provide for all your needs. He can and will deliver. By complaining, we make God out to be a liar or, worse, a God without the power to help you.

Scripture: Exodus 15:22-17:7

Main Thought: The LORD uses tests to build our faith as well as prove our faith. He is faithful to provide all that we really need. But His provision comes His way and not our way.

There is no physical need you have that God cannot supply.
Legitimate needs can be expressed without grumbling or complaining.
Waiting upon and accepting God's provision is a way of disciplining you spiritually.

1. There is no physical need you have that God cannot supply.

Human beings have an ongoing need for food, water, clothing, and shelter. The body can go for weeks without food, though the body weakens over time. The need for water is more acute, allowing not more than three days before death approaches. Clothing is a necessity resulting from the fall of mankind into sin; it covers our shame. Shelter is needed to protect us from the harsh elements in a cursed creation. God knows these needs.

The Israelites had not yet learned to depend on the God who wanted to provide for their needs:

In slavery, God miraculously freed them (Exodus 12:31-42)

In danger, God opened the Red Sea for them and closed it on their enemies (Exodus 14:21-28).

The Israelites found water but it was undrinkable -- and God purified the water. (review Exodus 15:22-26)

The Israelites ran out of meat and bread -- and God provided both in abundance. (review Exodus 15:27-16:15)

The Israelites had no more water -- and God provided plenty. (review Exodus 17:1-7)

Q: Has there been a time in your life when you were in need and questioned God’s wisdom, provision, or concern for you?

Even in the desert, God is able to supply what you need. That is why He is called by Abraham "Jehovah-Jireh" -- the LORD will provide (Genesis 22:14). And down through the ages, the children of God have found God to be faithful in providing for the needs of His people. Can He provide for your needs and the needs of your family? YES He can!

2. Legitimate needs can be expressed without grumbling or complaining.

When the Israelites found themselves in a difficult situation, deprived of a basic physical need, they lodged a complaint. This, in itself, may not be sinful. There are legitimate complaints that need to be raised from time to time -- these are called petitions.

Q: How would you define a "legitimate" petition:

A petition seeks provision for a need.

It identifies a potential wrong and seeks a solution or resolution of a problem.

It is not a "demand" for the power is not there in the one asking but in the one to whom the petition is raised.

A petition acknowledges one who is in a greater position to meet the need.

But was the complaint of the Israelites legitimate? Was it a petition? Let's look at some of them:

Situation	Provider	Complaint	Provision
After three days in the wilderness, they needed water. They found water at Marah but it was "bitter" (undrinkable). (Exodus 15:22-26)	Almighty God	So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?" (Exodus 15:24, NIV) Was it a legitimate need? To whom did they raise this complaint? Were they asking in humility or derision?	The LORD told Moses to put a certain piece of wood in the water and it suddenly became drinkable (Exodus 15:25).
Whatever food they brought with them out of Egypt was gone. The people needed food to eat but none was available. (Exodus 15:27-16:1-3)	Almighty God	2 In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. 3 The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the LORD's hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death." (Exodus 16:2-3, NIV) Was it a legitimate need? To whom did they raise this complaint? Were they asking in humility or derision?	God sent quail to the camp and began providing manna every morning. Manna could be baked, broiled, fried, or eaten raw. It was versatile and nutritious (Exodus 16:13-14).
In the desert wilderness at Rephidim, the people had no water at all. (Exodus 17:1-7)	Almighty God	2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses replied, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?" 3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?" (Exodus 17:2-3, NIV) Was it a legitimate need? To whom did they raise this complaint? Were they asking in humility or derision?	God provided water at a rock near Mt. Horeb. Even though the people were testing Him and quarrelling (Exodus 17:6).

Q: How do you think it makes God feel when you complain about something He has graciously provided to you, or has promised to provide for you?

Probably about the same as a parent feels when a child complains about a gift that has just been given to them.

Here is what happens when we complain about God's provision in our life:

A complaint ignores the desire of God to meet your need: When you complain, you assume that God does not desire to meet your need. You assume wrong motives or wrong affections on the part of the only One who can meet that need. In doing so, you tarnish the character of God who is holy, good, and righteous in every way -- including His motives and His affections toward you. Let it never be among God's people that we complain about God's desire to help us.
A complaint discredits the ability of God to meet your need: When you complain about a physical need in your life, you also assume that God does not have the power to meet that need. You mock the very nature of God who, as the Creator, created all things (Gen. 1:1; Col. 1:16). If He can create all things from nothingness, how much can He provide for you from what He has already created? Let it never be among God's people that we complain about God being powerless to help us.
A complaint demands satisfaction but it brings God's discipline: When your complaint comes in the form of a demand, you put God to the test. You assume some inherent right to this thing you demand and put yourself in a position of ordering God to provide it. The Israelites demanded meat and bread. God decided to give it to them but use this as a test -- "Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.’" (Exodus 16:4, NIV). As a result of their demand for what God promised to provide, they were forced each day to gather enough bread (manna, Exodus 16:31) for only one day. If they took more, it spoiled. If they took less, they went hungry for the day. This discipline was intended to guide them in walking with God daily, living in accord with His command. To learn to trust God and depend upon Him to meet your needs is the most important lesson you can learn. Let it never be among God's people that we put demands upon God to help us.

3. Waiting upon and accepting God's provision is a way of disciplining you spiritually.

Dependence on God's provision helps us learn to trust God who is trustworthy in all things. Even when Jesus in His earthly ministry was fasting and very hungry, He did not command the stones to become bread though He had the right and the power to do so. He rebuked the devil's temptation, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’" (Matt 4:4, NIV). As Jesus declared, some things are more important -- even more important than food. God will meet those physical needs but don't miss the spiritual discipline of trusting God to do so. Jesus spoke rather eloquently about how to seek God's provision for your physical needs:

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:25-34, NIV)

The key to God meeting your physical needs is:

Don't worry about it since God knows you need them.

Seek His kingdom (eternal perspective) and His righteousness (Jesus) for your life -- and all these things will be provided to you by God.

Typically, He provides them to you in the form of a "job" -- employment to enable you to earn what is needed for yourself and your family. Sometimes He provides through other means -- through a relative, through the Church or through individual benefactors. He even can provide for your needs miraculously, as He did for the Israelites in the wilderness. Yet the message is the same -- seek God by faith in the LORD Jesus Christ and He will provide for all the necessities of life. Walk in His ways and you can eliminate this worry from you mind, freeing you to praise Him and serve Him with a whole heart.

When God does provide for your physical needs, it shows you the kindness and mercy of God toward us. Be sure to acknowledge your gratitude to God. This will teach you to humility and reverence toward God. As the Psalmist said, "I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth" (Psalm 121:1-2, NIV). Rather than complaining about it, let us look to the LORD for His gracious provision. Knowing and acknowledging Him as "Jehovah-Jireh" -- the LORD who provides -- keeps us aware of our helpless position without Him and our humble position before Him.

Reflect on YOUR life:

Are you a chronic complainer or a sometimes complainer? Make it a point starting today to eliminate the complaining from your life. Follow the advice of the Apostle Paul:

It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe. (Phil 2:13-15, NIV)