Be encouraged, God doesn’t give up on us even when we feel like quitting!
15 If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have FOUND FAVOUR in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.” Numbers 11
Circumstances had become so difficult for Moses as leader of God’s people that he wanted God to end his life, he’d had enough of being responsible for them. How many leaders have felt the same way since Moses?
God’s solution for Moses was to give him help from within the camp where he lived, SHARE THE BURDEN. God said to Moses to bring down seventy of the elders with him to the Tent of Meeting and He would put His Spirit on them to help Moses. Two of the elders didn’t go down with Moses, but they were still baptised in the camp (God is no respecter of persons). Numbers 11:17, 26
Two other Bible characters whose situations drove them to make the same plea to God were Job and Elijah.
8 “Oh, that I might have my request,
that God would grant what I hope for,
9 that God would be willing to crush me,
to let loose his hand and cut off my life!
10 Then I would still have this consolation—
my joy in unrelenting pain—
that I had not denied the words of the Holy One. Job 6
Job was attacked directly by Satan but he never denied God, nor said anything bad about Him. God revealed Himself to Job and blessed him with twice as much as he’d had at first.
Elijah was fleeing from Jezebel after he’d killed all the false prophets and turned the nation of Israel back to their God.
“I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. 1 Kings 19
God gave the prophet REST and sent an angel to FEED him. (Sometimes we need to rest and gather our strength before we’re able to go forward again.) Then he recommissioned Elijah to his role as national prophet. Go back the way you came, GET BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK. Go and appoint Hazael king over Aram, Jehu King over Israel and Elisha to succeed you as prophet. 1 Kings 19:15, 16
The great apostle Paul tells us that there was also a time, ‘when he despaired of life itself’.
8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that WE MIGHT NOT RELY ON OURSELVES BUT ON GOD, WHO RAISES THE DEAD.
Paul and his companions trusted in God; they had no other choice. We may live in difficult times but God is Faithful.
God bless and keep you today.