The burning question on everyone’s mind, at one time or another, is, “Does God care about me?” Seriously, how can we know that He does? Oh, we know He sacrificed His Son for the world, but how do you know that, if you were the only person on earth, that God would do that for you?
Believe it or not, the answer is not found in the Gospels, but in the book of Numbers – not once, but twice!
In Numbers 9, we read that the people of Israel, in the first month of the second year, celebrated Passover. However, there was a problem. A couple of people attended to a dead relative, so they were unclean. They couldn’t celebrate the Passover. This was a big deal, the first time it was being celebrated and they didn’t want to miss it.
So they went to Moses and told him the problem. Moses went to God, and God told him that they could celebrate Passover the following month. He gave them a second chance. Not only did God allow them to celebrate one month later, but made it part of His statutes. He decreed that if someone were unable to celebrate Passover at the appointed time, they would have another opportunity to do so one month later.
I’d say that is love. But there’s more.
While it is not obvious, Numbers 10 quietly lets us know that the individual is important to God. You see, the camp of Israel set out from Mt Sinai on the twentieth day of the second month. Why is this significant?
On the fourteenth day of the first month was Passover. Then our friends were given a second opportunity to celebrate Passover. This happened on the fourteenth day of the second month – a seven-day festival. When they were finished celebrating, God gave the orders to move out (on the twentieth day of the second month.) The Creator of the World kept over a million people waiting to move until a handful finished celebrating. That is amazing.
But there’s more.
When we look further in Numbers, we see that Miriam and Aaron were fussing about Moses and his wife. Miriam ended up with leprosy. Aaron interceded and she was healed. Yet God instructed the Israelites that when someone has leprosy, they have to go outside the camp. Once they are healed, they can return after seven days.
Numbers 12:15 tells us that God waited until Miriam could return to the camp, before resuming travel. God kept over a million people waiting for just one person.
Now, if you have any doubt that God cares about you as an individual, this should put that doubt to rest.
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