Imagine a newborn baby. She is constantly attended to, and the least of her demands are instantly met. She quickly learns that she can trust those in charge of her.
When she is fed, she doesn’t turn to us and say, “What else can you do for me today?”
God recognizes every cause of our distress, and he reaches out to us, meeting our every need. When we see opportunities for disaster all around, they are as nothing to him, for our God is a NEITHER God.
Our first example of our NEITHER God is found in Genesis 9:11.
First the roof leaks, then the refrigerator dies, and if that isn’t enough, the sewer backs up. That’s when God lets us know he is a NEITHER God.
Picture Noah. Everything he knew was gone. God realized he would be in distress, and so he reassured him, telling him that never again would he use a flood to destroy humanity; NEITHER would he use rising waters to destroy the earth.
Think how great that concept is! When disaster comes our way, and we fear for our lives, God reassures us, not once, but with a double measure. He becomes a NEITHER God, taking all our cares on him, for he knows us and cares for us.
Next, turn to Leviticus 2:13.
It is easy to question what God really wants from us. The evangelist on the radio asks us to drop a check in the mail. The children’s church minister pleads with us to serve on Sunday mornings. The downtown mission needs volunteers to serve food to the homeless.
We’re lost in a myriad of demands.
God’s demand is simple. He gives us only one, and it is a NEITHER demand. First, he tells us our offerings should be “seasoned with salt,” or well prepared and of high quality. Then he says, “NEITHER shall the salt of my covenant be lacking from your gifts.”
We learn that God’s true desire is not for us to offer fine gifts to him. Rather, our offerings must be accompanied by meekness, humility, and a worshipful spirit. Fine gifts without the salt of his covenant will offend him. When we come with a worshipful spirit, he willingly accepts any gift we have to offer.
Our final verse is Numbers 21:5.
In this passage we read where God had provided manna for the Israelites, and they were ungrateful. They spoke against God and against Moses, saying there was no bread, neither was there any water, and they loathed the manna God had provided.
When we become ungrateful for God’s blessings, things begin to go sour. The Israelites didn’t pay attention to what God had already provided, just to what they didn’t have. To them, their perceived lack encompassed everything. They were NEITHER happy nor pleasing to the Lord. For their lack of humility, God sent poisonous snakes among them, and many died.
God created us from the dust of the earth, and he made us in his image. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and he understands everything about us. He NEITHER condemns nor despises us for being what we are. He simply wants us to love him and be thankful for his blessings.
God will care for our every need. All he wants is for his children to be grateful and worship him with joy and praise.
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