Two posts ago, I told you about how I recently started using a new Bible reading plan from Zondervan to help give some structure to my morning devotional Bible study times, and I mentioned that within five minutes of reading the first day's selection (Numbers 11), I got the feeling that God was speaking to me about a specific prayer request I recently laid before him.

Last post, I told you what that prayer request was. I shared with you that for my recent birthday, I made a specific birthday wish (a.k.a. prayer), asking my heavenly father for husbands for several of my close single girlfriends who are over 35 and really want to be married.

So what does Numbers 11 have to do with this request? Click here to read it, and then come back to this post.

1) The people of God were complaining.

I do this sometimes. I complain, and I confess that I sometimes get other people to complain with me by complaining to them in a way that they are forced to agree with me. I did it with a friend over the weekend, and I did it again with my co-workers at lunch. Specifically, I was complaining about the fact that so many wonderful women I know who are in their late 30's and early 40's are still single, while several single men I know who are also in their late 30's and early 40's say they want to be married, but either don't make an effort to date, or they are really picky (I don't like the way she laughs... she's not a good cook and I want a woman who knows how to cook... she said something that reminded me of my mother and it really freaked me out), or they are holding out for much younger women. (I know two men in particular who are over 40, yet list on their online dating profiles that they want someone 27-30 "because I want to have a family..." Is anyone else out there troubled by this?)

2) God was not pleased with these complaints.

Even as I wrote the paragraph above, I was convicted again that getting mad about this is not helpful. Complaining is just never attractive or spiritually edifying. We are called to love our brothers in Christ, not judge or belittle them - neither to their faces, nor behind their backs. Is it hard to deal with these circumstances? Yes, it is. Is it a bit nauseating to discover that a 40-something man with a Ralph Kramden and a two-decade-long history of discarding perfectly good prospects is asking eHarmony to match him with an "athletic 27 year old?" Yes, it is.

But getting upset about it takes a very small view of God. In fact, when I am at the height of my complaining about "those men," I am also at the height of my own pride, thinking that I know better than God how things ought to be, and subconciously angry at God for not doing a better job of providing for his daughters. Danger, Will Robinson. Danger, indeed.

3) It's just never good to doubt God's ability to provide.

When God told Moses he heard the peoples' requests and was going to provide, Moses took a good look at the circumstances - 600,000 people asking for meat - and doubted God's word. Sometimes, I do the same thing when I take a look at the sea of women in my life who are 35-plus and still single and the men in my life who are qualified spouses. Like Moses, the task just seems too daunting.

But, "God answered Moses, 'So, do you think I can't take care of you? You'll see soon enough whether what I say happens for you or not.'"

God was chastising Moses, and I feel somewhat chastised as well. 

But I'm also encouraged. God said, "You'll see soon enough..." You'll see soon enough, Christy, whether God is able to give good gifts to those who ask him.

And I'm asking. More than ever before, I am asking God for husbands for several of my dear, beloved friends before my next birthday. That would be the best present I could think of. 

This whole thing has also exposed to me that my view of prayer has diminished. I've been so discouraged about this whole "scene" that I've just stopped praying about it altogether. So now that I'm aware of it and feeling the admonition to pray boldly, I'm going for it - in public, right here on Ferry Dust.

Game on.