Most of us know we can trust God, but we don’t always live like we fully
trust Him. Sometimes we even pray first about a situation before reacting.
However, we don’t always listen for or wait for God’s answer. Or, we hear God’s
answer, but decide to try to solve the problem the way we have in the past.
Last week we saw how Moses and Aaron demonstrated faith and confidence
in God by going to Him first before addressing the Israelite questions, attacks
and problems. They even listened to God’s answer and acted in obedience to the
first part, but then pride got in the way.
Numbers 20:9-13 9 So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he
commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly
together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels,
must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his
staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
“Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight
of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give
them.”
13 These were the waters
of Meribah, where the Israelites quarreled with the Lord and where he was proved holy among
them.
Yes, Moses
was told to speak to the rock this time and not strike it. However, I think the
greater issue was his heart. God hates pride above anything else. By Moses’
words and actions, he was taking credit for himself and not giving all honor
and glory to God, the real Provider of the water.
If I stop
and analyze my thoughts, I have pride in myself each and every day. The more I
get to know God, though, the less pride I will have. I won’t ever be rid of it
until I get to Heaven, just as the most humble man on earth (Moses) had his
prideful moments.
The
encouraging thing about this whole situation is that God was still faithful.
Despite the huge lack of faith on the part of the Israelites, God still
provided water for them! God also still used Moses, in spite of his pride, to
accomplish His purposes.
Alice
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