Note: This is part 2 of a 3-week series. Click here to read Part 1: The Furious Followers. Check back next Monday for week 3!
Scripture:
“Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell face down, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. The LORD said to Moses, “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.” Numbers 20:6-8
Perspective:
Whenever you are talking with a friend, you expect them to listen. Listening to someone is more than hearing what they are saying; it is responding to the conversation. When our time is limited, it can be a challenge to care enough to listen to others. It can even be a challenge to listen to God.
Moses had heard the people complain over and over, and he knew that he did not have the resources to provide them with water. They were in the middle of the dessert. Moses could look as far as the horizon and see no signs of water. The problem was larger than Moses, yet Moses knew God was greater than any challenge. Moses made a fundamental decision; he spent time with God as he was facing a problem. When Moses took time to ask God for direction, God gave him specific instructions that through speaking to a rock the people would have water. It wasn’t typical; Moses couldn’t have come up with it on his own. Yet, God gave him directions, and Moses needed to only listen and obey. Sometimes when we find ourselves in a dessert place, listening to God can be an option instead of the only option. When we take time to listen to God, we will find the answer. Sometimes the answer is immediate, while many times, the answer is revealed over time. Choosing to seek God is a fundamental decision of our Christian faith. No matter when God chooses to direct or use an unconventional method to answer, our job is to trust God enough to listen and obey.
