Read Numbers 20.
This is beginning to sound like a broken record. Whenever there is an overwhelming need, the people complain against their leaders and blame them. Further, they wish either that they had stayed in slavery in Egypt or died already. In spite of all that God has done to end it, the grumbling continued. The truth was that the LORD was responsible for the situation and the nation was exactly where God led them. Israel was about to experience one of the grand miracles of the entire Bible.
Why were the people continuing to grumble and lose sight of God's leadership?
Emotions and
perceptions can prevent us from seeing reality and truth.
Fear causes us to panic that our needs will not be met. It is so easy to blame others for what, in fact, God is doing. In this case, God wanted to demonstrate His great power and meet their needs. But when the LORD did not supply as they wanted and on their time table they felt totally justified in their rebellion.
God had a miraculous plan to meet their needs; one they would never forget. There were three steps to the instructions: a) take the staff; b) assemble the people; c) speak to the rock to yield its water. Moses obeyed the first two and utterly disobeyed the last part. He failed to discipline his anger. This resulted in Moses never entering the Promise Land.
Paul told Pastor Timothy that "the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness" (2 Timothy 2:24-25a). That is tough to do when facing angry people. Moses lost his anger and then lost his future because he took the complaining personally. Note his words in 20:10b-"Hear now you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?" By announcing that "we" (Moses and Aaron) would supply water and by striking the rock twice, he gave appearance to the people that his power could do this. He failed to glorify God and direct full attention to Him.
The LORD is
concerned about not only what is done but also how it is done.
When others see
the difference Christ makes in the way we handle a pressure situation, God can
use it to draw attention to Himself. So, how can we glorify God when the
pressure is on?
1. Know exactly
what God wants done
2. Ask to be
filled with the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-24)
3. Obey wholeheartedly
Jesus is the
Rock of Ages. When a person speaks to that Rock, He gives Living Water
that springs up into everlasting life. (John 4:10-14)
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