March 9, 2023 – Failed Response

 March 9, 2023
 Daily Reading – Numbers 19-20 / Mark 10:32-52

 

 GOD’S WORD:

Numbers 20:10-11 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

 

 GETTING INTO GOD’S WORD:

    “Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” This was a little phrase we heard as children. The idea behind the phrase was that words will not physically hurt you, so do not let people who call you names get you mad enough to start a fight. That all sounds good on the surface, but the idea that words will not hurt does not always ring true. Especially if they are God’s words. Not listening and obeying the words that God says can have dire consequences.

 

    God told Moses in Number 20:8 to speak to the rock and He would supply the people with the water they needed. Moses however, after all these years of dealing with these people in the desert, failed to respond to God’s directions correctly. In verse 10 He says, “Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?” Moses and Aaron asked if they, not God, needed to give them water from the rock. Now these are two great men, but even they cannot bring water from a rock on their own. Then in verse 11 it says, “and with his rod he smote the rock twice:” God said to speak to the rock. However, in anger Moses strikes the rock twice. Not once did he nor Aaron mention God in this miracle at all.

 

    God still provided the much-needed water. But for not obeying God’s word, Moses and Aaron were forbidden entrance into the promised land. A failed response to God’s words did matter. 

 

 GETTING GOD’S WORD INTO ME:

    Some folks believe they can live any way they want to. In Luke 4:4 When Jesus answered the Devil He said, “…It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” All of God’s words, still matter today.

 

How important do you take God’s word?