You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
Our passion is to experience and express grace. Join us.
Amen. Thank you all. Don't get too concerned. I'm not preaching.
Ron is pretty under the weather with a cold this weekend, but I am thankful for many things,
including that he is still going to preach, but so that you can hear him for as long as possible.
I'm going to read a rather lengthy passage, the one that he's preaching this morning for him before he comes to preach.
So we're in Exodus chapter 16, the beginning of Exodus 16.
The people of God, having come out of Egypt, are now headed towards the promised land.
This is in the middle of their journey, Exodus 16 at verse 1.
They set out from Elam, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin,
which is between Elam and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt.
And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.
And the people of Israel said to them,
Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt,
when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full!
For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger!
Then the Lord said to Moses,
Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you,
and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day,
that I may test them whether they will walk in my law or not.
On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in,
it will be twice as much as they gather daily.
So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel,
At evening you shall know that it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord,
because He has heard your grumbling against the Lord.
For what are we that you grumble against us?
And Moses said,
When the Lord gives you in the evening meat to eat,
and in the morning bread to the full,
because the Lord has heard your grumbling that you grumble against Him,
what are we?
Your grumbling is not against us, but against the Lord.
Then Moses said to Aaron,
Say to the whole congregation of the people of Israel,
Come near before the Lord, for He has heard your grumbling.
And as soon as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the people of Israel,
they looked toward the wilderness.
And behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.
And the Lord said to Moses,
I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel.
Say to them,
At twilight you shall eat meat,
and in the morning you shall be filled with bread.
Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.
In the evening quail came up and covered the camp,
and in the morning dew lay around the camp.
And when the dew had gone up,
there was on the face of the wilderness a fine flake-like thing,
fine as frost on the ground.
When the people of Israel saw it,
they said to one another,
What is it?
For they did not know what it was.
And Moses said to them,
It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.
This is what the Lord has commanded.
Gather of it each one of you as much as He can eat.
You shall each take an omer,
according to the number of the Persians that each of you has in His tent.
And the people of Israel did so.
They gathered some more, some less.
But when they measured it with an omer,
whoever gathered much had nothing left over,
and whoever gathered little had no lack.
Each of them gathered as much as he could eat.
And Moses said to them,
Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.
But they did not listen to Moses.
Some left part of it till the morning,
and it bred worms and stank.
And Moses was angry with them.
Morning by morning they gathered it,
each as much as he could eat.
But when the sun grew hot, it melted.
On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread,
two omers each.
And when all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses,
he said to them,
This is what the Lord has commanded.
Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest,
a holy Sabbath to the Lord.
Bake what you will bake,
and boil what you will boil,
and all that is left over lay aside to be kept till the morning.
So they laid it aside till the morning,
as Moses commanded them.
And it did not stink,
and there were no worms in it.
Moses said,
Eat it today,
for today is a Sabbath to the Lord.
Today you will not find it in the field.
Six days you shall gather it,
but on the seventh day,
which is a Sabbath,
there will be none.
On the seventh day,
some of the people went out to gather,
but they found none.
And the Lord said to Moses,
How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws?
See, the Lord has given you the Sabbath.
Therefore, on the sixth day,
He gives you bread for two days.
Remain each of you in His place.
Let no one go out of His place on the seventh day.
So the people rested on the seventh day.
This is God's Word.
Amen.
I will say that my voice,
the condition of it,
has nothing to do with yesterday.
Because pretty much for the whole day yesterday,
I was not yelling.
I was weeping.
But,
maybe I've just
come to manhood finally,
in my later years.
You know,
we've just celebrated,
probably most of us have overdosed,
on
turkey,
on dressing,
mashed potatoes,
football,
and I must say,
probably very happily so.
And,
you know,
we've been celebrating Thanksgiving over this week,
and honestly,
I think it's probably one of my favorite holidays.
Because it doesn't generate the controversy.
I mean,
everybody's good for giving thanks.
And to give thanks
is a great thing.
I mean,
yes,
we celebrate it because
back in the early 1600s,
the pilgrims came,
and the reason they did it
was because
they had been used to setting apart
days
of,
for thanksgiving,
you know,
all through their history.
And so,
you know,
now it's our federal holiday,
as was instituted by Abraham Lincoln
back in 1863.
And so,
I really appreciate
that our country
would set aside a day
to acknowledge
the great gifts
we have been given.
gifts that come to us
from
some other place.
You know,
being thankful
is one of those
virtues
that we try to
instill
in our children.
You know,
from day one,
maybe you would think
I was cruel
that I wouldn't give up
their cup of milk
until they said thank you.
But when we come to the scriptures,
when we think about
thanksgiving,
thanksgiving runs
from the beginning
all the way through
to the end.
And what we see
in the scriptures
when it talks about
thanksgiving
is something
different
from what
we
celebrate.
We,
we probably,
and many of you may have
as custom
for thanksgiving,
you sat around the table
and started to think
about all those things
you're thankful for.
And we have plenty.
We live
in
great
abundance.
And so there's
so much
for us to be thankful for.
But when we look
at thanksgiving
in the scriptures,
that's
not exactly
what they're
talking about.
In Romans 1,
and I mentioned
this in an
article
from the branches
this last month,
there's an interesting
passage
that Paul quotes
when he starts
talking about
the fallen nature
of man
and the rebellion
of man
against God
and talking about
them exchanging
the glory
of God
for images
of creation
and images
of themselves.
In one of the places
there,
he says,
and they did not
honor him as God
or give thanks.
Now,
why
did he throw
that in there?
Apparently,
to the
apostle Paul,
there was
something
about
giving thanks
that was
foundational
to
faith,
that is
foundational
to how
we relate
to God.
And when we
fail
to give
thanks,
we are,
we're probably
committing
much,
much greater
sin
than we
think.
So,
what I want
us to do
is to,
this passage
in Exodus
is a great
story.
And so,
I pull it up
because one
of the best
ways we can
see how
we are called
to give
thanks is
to look and
see how
people did
it badly.
grumbling,
and that
here,
in this
story,
what we
have is a
great example
of grumbling,
which we
could say is
really the
opposite of
thanksgiving.
You know,
in this
story,
Israel has
just within
the month,
they have
left Egypt,
witnessed,
they have
witnessed
all of the
plagues,
they have
witnessed
the destruction
of the
strongest army
of that time
in the world
in the middle
of the sea.
They witnessed
the water's
part in
them being
able to
walk across
a dry
ground.
they
witnessed
all of
this
just in
the last
couple weeks.
This is not
way back in
their history.
This is just
yesterday.
And so
now they're
heading
from
Egypt
to the
mountain
where they're
going to
meet God,
their covenant
God,
the God of
their father,
Abraham,
Isaac,
and Jacob.
But now
as they
go out,
they're
running into
some
discomfort.
I mean,
they're out
in the
wilderness,
and the
wilderness is
not a fun
place to
be.
They've
already
struggled
with water
just in
the last
chapter.
They finally
got to a
place where
there was
water,
but it
was bitter,
and they
couldn't
drink it.
And so
miraculously,
God
supplies
a purifier
for this
water
right before
their eyes.
And so
they've just
witnessed that
as well
as all of
the rest.
So now
they come
a little bit
farther,
and the issue
is food.
in the text
says there
in verse
two,
that the
whole
congregation
grumbled
at Moses,
which really
kind of
represents a
ramping up
of their
discomfort,
because in
the last
chapter,
it just
talked about
the people
were complaining
and grumbling,
but now it's
not just
some,
it's the
whole lot
of them.
Everybody
is grumbling
and complaining.
And you've
got to feel
for these
folks.
I mean,
they're in
a barren
wasteland.
Their supplies
are running
out.
You know,
what are they
supposed to
do?
And so
this is,
their grumbling
is over
a very
serious
situation.
But then
there's,
in verse
four,
there's a
word that
might even
appear to
be,
at least
to me,
it appears
a bit
disturbing.
Because in
verse four,
we see
what God
says.
He promises
to Moses,
he's about
to provide
for the
people,
but then he
makes a
statement,
it says,
that I
might test
them to
see whether
they will
walk in
my law
or not.
So what
is this
test?
What is
he doing?
It's not
a test.
I mean,
the test
results are
not for
God.
He knows
what he's
going to
get.
But this
is a
test he's
putting them
under very
intentionally
so that
they might
know,
know
themselves.
So there
are two
things that
occur here
that also
occur for
us in
life
that will
unveil
probably more
quickly than
anything else
the true
nature of
our hearts.
us.
And the
first one
is hardship.
And the
second is
restraint.
And Israel
got both.
Out here in
the middle of
the wilderness,
the first part
of this test
that God is
putting them
under is
hardship.
You know,
and as soon
as they leave,
they are
redeemed from
Egypt,
they're redeemed
from their
slavery,
they get
through the
Red Sea,
and now
things begin
to head
south.
Or if
you're from
Alabama,
you say
things begin
to head
north.
And so
how did it
go for them?
How did
they respond?
Well,
not,
not too
good.
They
complain.
They come
to Moses,
they complain,
but the
worst part
of it
is that
they
accuse
God
of
malevolence.
They
accuse
God
of being
evil.
They're
basically
saying,
why didn't
you just
kill us
in Egypt?
It would
have been
so much
simpler.
if you're
going to
bring us
out here
in the
middle
of the
wilderness
to let
us die
of thirst,
why did
you go
through all
that trouble?
Why did
you just
kill us
back there?
And then
look at
their memory.
It's
becoming
very selective.
They
say,
we remember
when we
used to
sit by
the
meat
pots
and
ate
bread
to
the
full.
You
were
slaves?
You
forgetting
that?
You
cried out
for 400
years to
be set
free,
and that's
what you're
reminiscing
about?
and it's
bringing
back all
these warm
fuzzy
memories?
So on
one hand,
you know,
they've got
this selective
memory.
The other,
they just
want to
die.
Of course,
they really
don't want
to die,
and they
really don't
want to
go back
to Egypt.
Maybe
they're just
being a
bit
dramatic.
But
they are
living
in many
ways the
same way
we do
with the
philosophy,
what have
you done
for me
lately?
Didn't
matter about
yesterday in
the water
deal.
Didn't
matter about
last week
in the
Red Sea.
Didn't
matter about
the weeks
before,
how we
came out
of Egypt
with all
this new
loot,
gold,
silver.
We
plundered
the people.
We
didn't
even raise
a sword.
Didn't
matter.
What have
you done
for me
lately?
What about
right now?
I'm
uncomfortable
right now.
So where
are you?
That's the
first test.
Their
hardship,
their
discomfort.
The second
one comes
in the form
of restrictions.
Moses
tells them
when he
comes,
he tells
them,
look,
this is how
the Lord's
going to
provide for
you.
He's
making
this
promise
and God
is going
to take
care of
all of
their
sustenance
needs.
But what
he does
is that he
puts a
couple
restrictions
on it,
especially
around
the
Sabbath.
And so
what they're
told is
that in
the evenings
you're going
to get
quail,
but in
the morning
there's
going to
be this
stuff,
which if
you remember
as Will
was reading
the text,
it's called
manna,
which basically
means what
is it?
They didn't
know what it
was,
they didn't
know what
to call it,
and they
said,
well,
let's go
have big
breakfast of
what is
it?
and they
were to
collect
only one
day's
worth
for six
days.
Now,
you have
to understand
that these
kind of
restrictions,
this kind
of restriction
for this
people was
strange,
because these
were agricultural
people.
And when
you're an
agricultural
person,
you live
by the
rule that
you store,
you store
up,
because harvest
only comes
a couple
weeks out
of the
year.
And so
everything you
grow,
you store
it away,
you pack
it away,
and so
that's what
they would
normally
think.
But that's
not the way
God wanted
to relate
to them.
He wanted
to relate
to them
as their
covenant
God,
upon whom
they would
depend
daily
for all
their needs.
And so
he tells
them for
six days,
just gather
up,
you get an
omer,
basically a
jar,
gather up
what you
need for
that day.
And for
all the
people,
everybody
had enough.
Everybody
had plenty.
plenty.
But then
when it
came to
the
Sabbath,
that one
night,
they were
to store.
And again,
this is going
to be a
hard thing
for agricultural
people.
Now you've
got a day
where they're
basically told
you can't
work,
you can't
do anything,
you're just
going to sit
and rest,
you're not
even going to
go gather
breakfast.
rest.
You're going
to store
it up.
And so you
see the
challenges.
They're
thinking that
these commands
are maybe
unreasonable
at best,
but these
are the
restrictions
that God
gives.
And why
does he
do this?
Again,
it's the
second part
of the
test.
Because in
this test,
he is going
to unveil
to them
a heart
that is
self-determining,
self-sufficient,
self-focused.
Because
all you
have to do
to unveil
a self-determining
heart is to
put up one
sign.
that says
no.
This is what
Paul talked
about in
Romans 7.
This is how
the law
comes.
And the
law doesn't
create sin
in us.
It inflames
it.
It's like
gasoline.
And all you
need is just
one command.
It says,
don't touch.
Don't eat.
Don't do
that.
Why is it?
Well,
anyway,
here,
I think
this is,
we need
to take
a look
at
how we
communicate,
even how
we teach
God's
law.
Because
typically,
the way
we teach
our kids,
or the way
we'll teach
here in church
or with
others,
is you keep
the law
because you're
really going to
prosper if you
do.
It'll go well
for you
if you do.
It's a good
thing.
There are benefits
benefits for it.
If you don't
keep the law,
things are just
going to go
north.
It's just,
it's the way
things work.
So God
gives his law
to direct us
towards things
that will help
us to prosper
in this life.
So,
you know,
if we,
you know,
obey the food
restrictions,
then we'll
probably be
healthier
and we'll
live longer.
If we
obey the
sexual ethics
of Scripture,
then we're
going to have
healthier,
happier marriages.
We're just
going to have
a much more
fulfilling life.
And so if we
do all this,
it's just going
to be better
for us.
Keeping the
law of God
is reasonable.
But the
problem is,
sometimes it
isn't.
what happens
when you run
into those
people
that are
not abiding
by that
sexual ethic
and they
seem to be
doing fine.
What,
you know,
why?
In the
Garden of Eden,
what was it
about that
one tree
that Adam
and Eve
couldn't eat
from?
It had
nothing to
do with
health.
It had
nothing to
do with
anything like
that.
It was
just to
see.
That one
tree, it
had grapefruit,
but it was
one tree
that would
demonstrate
whether they
would be
willing to
trust.
And they
weren't.
And so
the reason
that God
gives us
his commands,
yes, there's
a lot of
benefits to
them.
Absolutely,
if we live
according to
the kingdom
ethics we
have in
scripture,
life will
be better.
there.
But that's
not the
only reason
he gives
it.
He gives
us
restrictions
on all
the things
that are in
his law
to see
if we'll
trust him.
But those
restrictions
will raise
up our
self-determination
faster than
anything.
What was
unveiled to
the Israelites
in this period,
there were
three things.
Three aspects
of their
idolatry.
The first
one was,
is their
self-determination
to have life
on their own
terms.
They
wanted to
live,
they wanted
to eat.
They had a
need for
food.
It was a
good desire.
They needed
food.
So food was
not the
problem.
It was,
the manna
was not the
problem.
The quail
were not
the problem.
The problem
was that they
wanted to
eat on
their own
terms.
Not on
God's
terms.
They wanted
to eat
when they
wanted to,
how they
wanted to.
They wanted
to be able
to store
it the
way they
wanted to
or not.
They wanted
life on
their own
terms.
Second thing
it revealed
was that
they thought
they knew
what was
better for
them.
I mean,
after all,
it was their
life.
Starving in
the wilderness
was not
their idea
of a good
journey.
And it
definitely
didn't have
all these
new rules
about how
much they
could gather
for breakfast.
The third
thing it
revealed
was simply
that the
Lord's
provision
in their
minds
was insufficient.
it was
not
enough.
It wasn't
enough.
It wasn't
good.
They got
sick of
eating that
manna
every day.
They wanted
to be the
judge of
what was
good or
bad.
The Lord
was not
filling the
bill.
And so
they wanted
more.
So we
see this
heart of
self-determination
also connected
to this
heart of
greed.
And this
is the
outworking
of a
grumbling,
ungrateful,
unthankful
heart.
You know,
I'm getting
a hard
spot.
I'm
wanting,
whether it's
for food
or water
or sexual
affection
or social
respect
or career
advancements.
You know,
these are the
things I
think I
need and
they may
be all
good things.
But
when I'm
the one
that's
determining
and when
I'm the
one that's
defining
what is
good,
then all
of those
good things
become very,
very corrupting
for me.
So,
are we
thankful or
are we
grumblers?
others?
How do you
see all
this working
out in
your life?
Well,
let me ask
you a couple
questions.
What's in
your life
right now
for which
you are
not very
thankful?
I got a
feeling that
most of us
probably can
think of
something.
What is
that thing
in our
life that
we wish
was not
there?
That if
it was not
there,
life would
be good?
Maybe it's
my singleness.
Maybe it's
my spouse.
Maybe it's
some
physical
ailment.
Maybe it's
a job.
Maybe it's
we can go
on and
on.
What makes
you anxious?
What makes
you angry?
what is
that one
thing,
again,
that's
keeping you
from having
a good
life?
Paul
Tripp
basically
defines
grumbling
as simply
the background
drone
of a
discontented
heart.
And this
is what we
had in
Israel.
And
unfortunately,
it's far,
far too
common in
us.
things.
So what
does a
thankful
heart
look like?
Well,
I think
if we go
back and
look at
Israel and
all this
grumbling
that they're
doing,
I think
we'll see
thanks,
a grateful,
thankful
heart is
really just
the opposite
of what
they were
doing.
It was
not a
heart that's
self-determining,
but it's a
heart that is
humble
in three
ways.
A thankful
heart is
first,
a heart
that believes
that the
Lord is
good.
God is
good.
It's that
simple.
It's
amazing
that
in this
text,
when God
is coming,
when the
people are
coming and
grumbling,
they're
complaining,
they're wishing
they were
back in
Egypt,
they were
wishing that
God had
killed them
back in
Egypt,
they're
wishing all
these
things.
God is
already in
the process
of providing
for them.
He is
coming to
promise all
this good
that He is
going to send
to them,
which they
are not
going to
work for
one iota.
He had,
He didn't
have to,
and they
obviously
didn't deserve
it,
but He
did.
But this
is the
nature of
this covenant
relationship
that He's
brought them
into.
This is the
kind of God
He wants
to be for
them.
He wants
to be the
God that
provides.
He wants
to be the
one who
gives to
them day
in and
day out.
And so
this God
that they
are now
engaged
with
is a
whole new
being
who's
good.
second
thing
is that
life
on His
terms
is good.
Because
one of the
things they
forgot
conveniently
to build
their case,
they forgot
where they
were going.
God took
them out
of Egypt
and He
was taking
them,
yes,
to the
mountain
where He
would establish
His covenant
with them.
But then
they were
going to
pack up
and go
to the
land
flowing
with milk
and honey.
God
was taking
them to
the promised
land.
the land
that He
had promised
Abraham
and Isaac
and Jacob
over 400
years before.
And He
was fulfilling
His promise.
And yes,
that road
had to go
through the
wilderness.
But it
was a good
way to go.
Thirdly,
His provision
was not
in scarcity
but in
lavish
abundance.
Did you
notice as we
read through
the text
where God
says that
He's not
just going
to bring
manna.
He says,
I'm going
to rain
bread
from heaven.
Of course,
our idea
of rain
is that,
well,
we're going
to starve.
but He's
going to
rain,
pour
out,
not in
scarcity,
not just
barely
enough.
He's
pouring it
out.
I'm not
just going
to give
you bread,
I'm going
to rain
bread.
It would
be bread
they didn't
work for,
but bread
that simply
rained down
on them
from above
because God
was good
and His
ways
are good.
See,
here's the
crux.
Really,
you could
almost say
this is the
crux of the
whole of the
Christian life.
it really
is,
you know,
whether we're
struggling in
places of
hardship,
like I
would bet
most of
you in
some ways
are.
Because when
I get into
hardship,
when I get
into these
tough places,
all I want
is to get
out.
I want
relief.
And I
complain,
and I go
to God
in prayer,
and I
say,
why,
or you
see it
through the
Psalms,
how long
is this
going to
last?
Or,
if you've
done it
long enough
and you
haven't gotten
the answers
you want,
you just
quit going.
Because
He doesn't
care.
are.
So if
we're facing
hardship,
or if
we're facing
these
unreasonable,
undue
restrictions
on life,
Him telling
me how I
am supposed
to live
and conduct
my relationships
in ways
that seem
to be very
unreasonable,
the answer
is the
same.
Is
God
good?
See,
all of our
sin,
I think,
all of it
is rooted
right
there.
it's the
exact same
temptation,
it's the
lie that
the enemy
brought to
Adam and
Eve in
the garden,
the very
first one,
and it's
the one
He's still
bringing.
It's the
one that's
the most
effective.
Is
God
good?
Is He
good
for putting
you where
you are?
Is He
good
for keeping
you from
doing things
you want
to do?
Is He
good?
A thankful
heart
stands in
the goodness
of a
God
who is
for His
covenant
children
good
in
everything.
A thankful
heart
stands
on the
goodness
of God
and trusts
His wisdom
on how
He is
doing things.
A thankful
heart
sees
ourself
as not
the
benefactor,
not the
determining
force,
not the
master.
A thankful
heart
God
sees our
self
as
the
beneficiaries.
I am
the humble
servant
holding my
hands
open
to the
one
who has
promised
His
goodness
for me.
And a
thankful
heart
stands
there
and doesn't
budge
because it
knows
this
covenant
God
is good.
And the
way He wants
to relate
to us
is that
we would
turn to
Him
in daily
dependence.
on His
goodness
and rest
in
that
goodness.
Well just
to finish
up here
God gave
Israelites
manna in
the wilderness
but it
wasn't
enough
because
they still
died.
The
aid of
that
manna
there
is a
better
manna.
There
is the
satisfaction
of a
much
better
bread
from
heaven.
The
Israelites
you know
they had
all the
evidence
that they
needed
to trust
the one
who saved
them from
the land
of Egypt.
But what
about us?
We've never
seen those
miracles.
We've never
seen the
waters
part.
We've never
seen the
plagues.
But
we've seen
something
more.
Because
those
Israelites
as they
came out
of
Egypt
they did
so
by hiding
under
the
blood
soaked
doorposts
of a
lamb
that was
sacrificed
in
their
place.
And
little
did
they
know
that
lamb
was
going to
be
their
covenant
God
himself.
love.
And
that
lamb
says
to
them
in
John
6
I
am
the
bread
of
life.
Your
fathers
ate
the
manna
in
the
wilderness
and
they
died.
This
is
the
bread
that
comes
down
from
heaven
so
that
one
may
eat
of
it
and
not
die.
I
am
the
living
bread
that
came
down
from
heaven.
If
anyone
eats
of
this
bread
he
will
live
forever.
The
bread
that
I
will
give
for
the
life
of
the
world
is
my
flesh.
What
Jesus
says
here
is
you're
going
to
want
you're
going
to
need
and
you
think
all
these
other
things
in
life
and
the
temptation
is
going
to
be
to
grumble
and
to
complain
and
to
feel
very
anxious
and
afraid
and
insecure
if
you
don't
get
them.
But
what
he's
saying
here
is
there's
a
whole
different
bread
and
it's
a
bread
that
satisfies
it's
a
bread
that
will
feed
your
soul
and
it's
not
a
bread
that
you
work
for.
It's
a
bread
that
is
poured
out
for
you
from
heaven
in
lavish
abundance.
And
Jesus
said
come
to
me.
You're
in the
wilderness.
You're
struggling.
Come
to
me.
All
who
are
weary
and
heavy
laden
and
I
will
give
you
rest.
I
love
the
verse
from
Romans
8
32.
And
we'll
close
with
this.
He
who
did
not
spare
his
own
son
but
gave
him
up
for
us
all.
How
will
he
not
now
with
him
freely
give
us
all
things?
is
he
good
or
what?
This
is
our
redeemer
the
one
who
has
given
all
that
he
could
to
make
you
his
covenant
child
and
now
he
calls
you
to
himself
that
he
might
lavish
upon
you
all
of
his
goodness.
So
is
God
good?
Will
you
trust
him?
Let's
pray.
Father
we
are
just
like
Israel
fools
we
are
fools
to
think
that
we
know
better
than
you.
We
are
fools
to
think
that
you're
not
good.
Forgive
us
for
listening
to
the
lies
of
the
enemy.
Forgive
us
for
buying
into
those
lies.
forgive
our
self
determination.
Forgive
us.
Help
us
to
remember
not
the
meat
pots
in
Egypt.
Help
us
to
remember
the
crucified
son,
the
living
bread.
Help
us
to
remember
how
you
have
demonstrated
to
the
nth
degree
your
goodness
and
how
could
you
give
us
more?
And
now
with
him
you
promised
to
give
us
not
just
some
things
but
all
things
and
to
give
it
freely.
Oh
father
give
us
a
spirit
of
humility
and
dependence
that
expresses
itself
in
great
thanksgiving
and
joy.
so
that
the
world
would
hear
about
your
great
goodness.
We
pray
in
Jesus
name.
For
more
information
visit us
online
at
southwood.org