Wandering?

“One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD,” Moses told the people.

They had been wandering in the wilderness for 40 years.  40 years of wandering because they did not trust in the Lord. They built a golden calf and worshipped it, and they did not trust the Lord to give them the land they were about to enter when they first sent spies into investigate.  They were worried and fell back on their own strength rather than trust the Lord.  So they wandered.

But look at this passage again.  They wandered, but had all the food they would need to eat for the day given to them by the Lord.  And they wandered and had no place to buy new clothes, but they did not need that because the Lord made sure their clothing did not wear out and the soles of their sandals did not wear out.  Now I want to know where to get those kinds of threads, and where I might get a pair of shoes that will last for 40 years!

The Lord humbled the people.  He humbled them to know that they should and could trust in the Lord.  It is not enough to say we trust and then when push comes to shove show that we don’t trust the Lord.  The Lord has given us all that we could need, and will give us what ever it is we need.

That is what Lent is about. Remembering the 40 years in the wilderness, and the 40 days that Jesus was tempted, and denying ourselves completely and allowing the Lord to humble us so that we will follow and trust Him always.

So do not live by bread alone, but listen to the Lord, and live and feast on His very word!

Lord, you feed us everyday in ways we can not understand. Help us to be humble and trust in you for everything we need. Amen.