One of my favorite questions in the Bible comes in Numbers 11.
God has delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt, out of slavery. They have crossed the Red Sea and are headed toward the Promised Land, wandering for a bit.
The people of Israel have grumbled a handful of times about the food. God has been feeding them miraculously with manna, the bread from heaven. But, like the orcs carrying Merry and Pippen back to Isengard, they ask, “Why can’t we have some meat?”
God tells Moses and the elders of Israel that He is going to give them meat. For a whole month! So much meat they’ll be sick of it!
Moses rolls his eyes and asks - Uh, God? There’s 600,000 of us… Are you going to gather every fish in the sea to feed us for a whole month? Or what?
And then comes the question… “Is the Lord’s hand shortened?”
A friend of mine asks it this way, “Are My arms too short?”
A popular phrase in my circles recently has been “immeasurably more.” It comes from Ephesians 3:20-21 which says, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
God is able to do far more, infinitely more, immeasurably more than we can ask or think or imagine. God’s arms are not too short. God does not have T-Rex arms. (Nor does He have limited vision based on motion.)
Yet, I think for me, and perhaps for you, the question is never about God’s ability or length of arm. It’s more about God choosing to use those arms.
God is able to do far more abundantly…but will He?
God had just spoken to Moses and the elders of Israel telling them what He would do. And Moses doubts.
But God doesn’t make a lot of promises about the things I’m worried about. I’ve been nursing a calf injury. There’s no promise it will heal. I’ve got a lot of work responsibilities I’m quite uncertain about. There’s no promise I’m not going to bungle them all. My wife and I have a variety of plans for 2024. There’s no promise that flights won’t get canceled.
And I just end up feeling stuck. God is able to do immeasurably more. But in the places I really want Him to show up and do more, I cannot hold Him to any particular promise…
…other than the promise to be with me, whether He gives or withholds with His perfectly capable arms.
When we feel stuck, that’s how I think it’s supposed to go. God returns us to the promises He has made. God re-focuses our attention there. And we find, perhaps, some alleviation from our worry. Not because God will give us what we demand, but because God’s presence is a better comfort than me receiving everything I ask for.
Thanks for reading.
Be Curious. Ask Questions.
Andy