Tempting God

Psalm 106:14-15 ~ "but craved intensely in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. 15 So He gave them their request, but sent a wasting disease among them."
    When we are wandering in a wilderness, a place different than what we expected, a place of testing, danger, and growth; it is our sin nature that craves intensely for what we used to have, thinking it is better than what it really was. When we give in to that, and only think how wonderful our bondage was, not seeing our current freedom, we cross a line with God. At that point we test Him, after He has already proven Himself to us. We challenge Him to give us what we want, not content or satisfied with His provision. Not trusting his purpose or training while we are in the wilderness. This stirs up strife and rebellion in us. For me, verse 15 is one of the scariest verses in the Bible. If we push hard enough God will give us what we ask for- even if it kills us. In giving them what they wanted God sent a wasting disease among them, a leanness of soul.
    That leanness of soul, or wasting disease still didn't open their eyes and heart to their need for God. Their focus was on themselves and how they could meet their immediate temporal need. While God will meet these needs for His children; He is most interested in the heart, that there would be a God focus in each one of us, trusting Him to care  for us His way and in His time. In the wilderness, He always waits to see how we will handle something- will we run to Him or will we try to force our own way and desires? It cost the Israelites dearly, and years later King Saul failed this one, it cost him dearly as well. (1 Sam.15) For the rest of his life he had leanness of soul.
   Father protect us from ourselves, our own desires that are more self focused than God focused. Keep us hungry for you, putting a desire in us to wait for You, to desire a fatness of soul more than that which is temporal. Give us a fresh anointing of Your Holy Spirit that we would desire what You desire for us. And while we are walking in the wilderness, may we see Your hand leading and guiding us in the tests so we would be strong. May You be our focus, our center, may we willingly and expectantly wait for You that You would be glorified.