Hebrews 13:5

Hebrews 13:5

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”

Honestly, I’m really not sure how to talk about this verse for 300+ words. It’s so straightforward that there isn’t much to explain. But isn’t that the nature of God? Yeah, He’s bigger than our finite brains can fully grasp but His commands and promises to us are so black and white. Its clear that our lives are to be lived content wherever the Lord has placed us. This is easy to do when life is comfortable and everything is going good. But the minute God takes us out of our comfort zones we begin to complain. I am reminded of the Israelites that I used to look down on for being so stupid. As soon as God took them out of Egypt they complained because the wilderness wasn’t any better in their minds. Instead of rejoicing in their new season of life they looked back on what they knew, wishing they could go back to slavery. It is so easy to see their foolishness but man, don’t we all do the same thing? We have been declared free from sin and yet we go back to it again and again. The question that keeps running through my mind is “is it better to die in the wilderness that the Lord has led you to or in slavery?” This question hits home for me. This season of being in a whole new country with new people isn’t all rainbows and kittens, but I know it is where the Lord has called me. So why am I having issues being content? Using the Israelites as a mirror I can pretty much figure it out. Like the Israelites, my eyes have been on what is just before or just behind me. What they saw was a sea in front and an army behind and somehow they missed the presence of the Lord that had not left them since they walked out of Egypt. My eyes have been fixed on my family back home and field time that is coming up so quickly. Throughout the first 14 chapters of Exodus the Lord promises again and again that He will rescue them out of slavery, take them to the promised land, and gain victory over their enemies and yet they complain about the methods He is using. In Exodus 14:5 the Lord says, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.” It is as if He is asking them “Did you forget what I promised? Why did you stop following me?” They had the Lord on their side, and so do I, what more is needed?