THE question

"The LORD said to Moses, 'Is the LORD's power limited? Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.'"

(Numbers 11:23)

"Would you like a little cheese with that whine?" The Israelites were 'whine connoisseurs.' They loved grumbling and complaining. "Remember how good we had it back in Egypt? All that free fish, fruits & veggies?! THAT WAS THE LIFE!" they said. (They just forgot to mention the part about them being SLAVES in Egypt - oops!) "WE WANT MEAT!" came their cry. Sure, God had rescued them from bondage in Egypt, saved them from an advancing Egyptian army (armed with attack chariots, no less!), and promised them a land flowing with 'milk and honey.' That was all fine and dandy, but the lunch menu stunk! Seriously. Daily bread (aka "manna") just wasn't cutting it. Too boring. No variety. Who cares if it met all of their nutritional needs. Dull. "WE WANT MEAT!"

God then chooses to exercise His gift of irony. He tells Moses that He'll give them exactly what they want, all right! But they won't like it! And he's not going to give them just a one-time-serving, either? Nor 2 days... or 5 days... or 10 days... or even 20 days of meat. Nope. God's going to stuff them full of meat for 30 days! So much meat, in fact, that it'll be coming out their noses (eeuw!). Moses, who evidently wasn't very quick in the 'irony department,' began questioning God as to the practical realities of God's statement. "Seriously, God? A month of meat? You're joking right? That's not possible!"

And then God asks it THE question. It's almost as if He were waiting for just the right chance to prove Himself. "Is my power limited?" He asks Moses. (Umm... time to shut up, Moses. Don't answer that question. It's rhetorical!!!). The Hebrew phrase here literally means, "Is the Lord's hand too short?" Wow. That's a question you never want to hear God ask of Himself, after you and He have been talking! Just trust the answer is "No. Your power is NOT limited God!"

We're coming close to the end of a decision-making process at Aiea UMC. We've been prayerfully trying to discern whether God is leading us or not to start a new satellite ministry. It's a bold move - especially since our vision is to start with house churches - not a large corporate worship center. We've wrestled with a number of questions, issues, and risks... and it may all boil down to the issue of money. Are we ready to make a bold financial decision, even if we don't have all the money accounted for prior to starting? To some of us the task appears very daunting. And yet, could it be this passage today is a word of encouragement? "Is the Lord's power limited? Is His hand too short (to provide)?"

Personally... I don't think so!