Daily Wisdom from the Psalms: Nurturing Your Soul

THURSDAY, 16 NOVEMBER 2023

TEXT: NUMBERS 20:1-13

1: In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

2: Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron.

3: They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord!

4: Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here?

5: Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”

6: Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them.

7: The Lord said to Moses,

8: “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.”

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.

(New International Version Holy Bible)

TOPIC: RESIST PEOPLE'S PRESSURE TO DISOBEY GOD'S ORDER

It is very frustrating for a leader to lead people who cannot withstand hardships.

Moses and Aaron had just buried their sister, Miriam. Because the people couldn't get water to drink, they quickly forgot all that God had previously done for them, started grumbling and transferred their aggression onto their leaders.

They even challenged God saying: "Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!" Read verses 4 and 5 and note how much they complained and were ready to attack their leaders.

It is worth noting that Moses and Aaron knew where to turn to for a solution to this challenge. However, Moses grew angry and forgot the consequences.

In anger, man tends to misbehave and do things wrongly. He did what God asked him to do, but partially. Instead of speaking to the rock, he smote the rock twice. And that earned him instant judgement (verses 10-12).

The Lord said: "Because you believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them".

People's pressure led him into anger, he misbehaved and lost the joy of entering the Promised Land.

QUESTION: How do you react as believers in God when people put you under undue pressure?

PRAYER: Oh Lord, please help me not to partially obey Your clear instructions whenever I am under pressure, in Jesus name. Amen.