Exodus 17:6 (ESV) Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.
The first time God told Moses to do something that had never been done before He did it, just as he was told. The next time God told him to do the same thing as he had done before, Moses did what he felt like doing.
How many times have we did what God told us to do because we were in a bind, and He came though for us as we did exactly as He said? Then the next time we were in a bind regardless of what God said, we did our own thing?
Moses called the people "rebels" the second time, and then struck the rock two times. No where in scripture does God tell Moses, "Degrade the people and then show off your anger and position by striking the rock." The first time however that Moses gets the orders from headquarters, he went into the house of God to pray, and received his instructions in the presence of the Glory of God that showed up when he prayed. When we have been in the glory of God, we receive more than we might ever imagine, yet so few people stay in God's presence until He manifests His presence. Many treat the house of God like a "Quick Mart" where we run in grab a few things and run out, or never stop in at all, and just complain about what they don't have.
Reading along about the second time Moses was instructed to speak to the rock, I think to myself "Whoa, Moses was mad." But, as I continued to meditate on this portion of scripture I began to think, "Moses disobeyed God, but God was still faithful to do what He said He would do." "What's with that?" I thought. Why didn't God say, "Moses you have disobeyed Me, therefore no water will come out of the rock today unless you apologize to the people, and repent to me for your disobedience?" As I pondered on this portion of scripture I realized God dealt privately with Moses. God still wanted the people to be given a drink and their livestock to be watered.
How many times have we did what God told us to do because we were in a bind, and He came though for us as we did exactly as He said? Then the next time we were in a bind regardless of what God said, we did our own thing?
Moses called the people "rebels" the second time, and then struck the rock two times. No where in scripture does God tell Moses, "Degrade the people and then show off your anger and position by striking the rock." The first time however that Moses gets the orders from headquarters, he went into the house of God to pray, and received his instructions in the presence of the Glory of God that showed up when he prayed. When we have been in the glory of God, we receive more than we might ever imagine, yet so few people stay in God's presence until He manifests His presence. Many treat the house of God like a "Quick Mart" where we run in grab a few things and run out, or never stop in at all, and just complain about what they don't have.
Reading along about the second time Moses was instructed to speak to the rock, I think to myself "Whoa, Moses was mad." But, as I continued to meditate on this portion of scripture I began to think, "Moses disobeyed God, but God was still faithful to do what He said He would do." "What's with that?" I thought. Why didn't God say, "Moses you have disobeyed Me, therefore no water will come out of the rock today unless you apologize to the people, and repent to me for your disobedience?" As I pondered on this portion of scripture I realized God dealt privately with Moses. God still wanted the people to be given a drink and their livestock to be watered.
God truly loves us. God speaks to the leaders in our lives and He deals with the leaders in our lives. If they do not do right, He still takes care of us and yet deals with them. As a leader, be quick to obey and quick to repent, as our destiny depends on it. As a follower, be the kind of follower you would want to lead. Make leading you a leaders joy. God is the God of all and He is just. We can trust God to handle our problems even if our problems are people. Obey the word of God fully. This takes trust. To increase trust with someone we have to really know them, and let them prove themselves over time to us by obeying what they tell us. I will be praying for you today to trust and obey, for there really isn't any other way to be happy in Jesus.
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