SAINT SIXTUS II, POPE, AND COMPANIONS, (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

I cannot carry all this people by myself. 

Poor Moses! Despite all the miracles the Israelites had witnessed, they were turning against God and complaining bitterly. They longed for the foods they had enjoyed in Egypt but were completely overlooking the fact that they had eaten those meals as slaves.

Instead of lashing out in frustration against the people, Moses went straight to the Lord: I can’t possibly give the people what they’re demanding! You made me their leader, but it’s more than I can handle by myself.

We read later in this chapter how God provided a solution beyond anything Moses probably could have envisioned. God met the people’s immediate need for food by sending meat, in the form of quail, for a whole month (Numbers 11:31-32). But God also provided a long-term solution to the leadership challenge by anointing elders to share the burden with Moses (11:16-17, 24-25). These men could settle disputes and handle administrative details so that Moses could be freed up to prayerfully seek the Lord’s guidance for his people.

Like Moses, each of us faces challenges in our workplace, family, or church that we don’t immediately know how to handle. Where do we turn first? It may be tempting to react with frustration at the situation. But Moses shows us a better course of action: go first to God, confident that he has the entire situation in hand. It’s fine to begin, as Moses does, by honestly complaining. But don’t get stuck in the complaints. Openly acknowledge your need and confidently trust that the Lord will provide for you.

As you keep working through your challenges, keep your eyes, ears, and especially your heart open to signs of God’s help. He may solve the dilemma and see you through. Or he may move you to ask for help from other people. And as Moses found out, receiving help from others is nothing to be ashamed of!

“Father, thank you for the challenges that remind me how much I need you and my brothers and sisters in Christ.”

Numbers 11:4-15
Psalm 81:12-17
Matthew 14:13-21