Too Much at Once

“Now a wind went out from the Lord and drove quail in from the sea. It scattered them up to two cubits deep all around the camp, as far as a day’s walk in any direction.” (Numbers 11:31 NIV)

Every year before gardening season, we amend the existing soil in our raised beds with topsoil. There are two ways to do this. One is to buy small bags of topsoil that can be carried home in the trunk of our vehicle. This method allows us to buy, store, and use the soil at our convenience. The second way is to get a truckload of bulk soil delivered to our home. We did this one year. The dump truck unloaded a big pile of soil at the end of our driveway. It took us several weeks to move all the soil with shovels and wheelbarrows. It was too much to deal with at once. 

Sometimes I ask God for something, and He unloads more than I can handle at once. Like the Israelites who wanted meat and got more quail than they knew what to do with, I feel overwhelmed. I prefer everything to be delivered in convenient packages and times. When I read Scripture passages that are difficult to understand, I ask God for insights. I want these revelations to come when I have time to sit down and take notes. However, God doesn’t consider my schedule. He dumps piles of realizations all at once, compelling me to put aside my plans. I sift and sort through it and move it to the right spots. I have learned that God delivers according to His timetable, and I have to stay available and amenable.