Numbers Chapter 20: Verses 8-12 (NIV-UK)
‘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 that they and their livestock can drink.’
So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. 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?’ Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not trust in me enough to honour me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.’
Moses must have reached the end of his tether. How many times had the people grumbled and complained, and how many times had God graciously provided? Time after time. It seems that they never learned. So here once more the people grumbled about the lack of water. Moses and Aaron went to God and He gave them very specific instructions. But when he stood before the people, Moses let his anger get the better of him. He rebuked the people and he struck the rock. He didn’t do as he was told. God still provided the water, but that loss of control cost Moses dearly. He would see the Promised Land but he would never go in.
He may have been right to be angry because of the people’s grumbling, but he was wrong to lose control of his temper. That’s a lesson for all of us to take care of our temper, even if we feel we are right to be angry. Christians as ambassadors for Jesus, need to make sure that we never let our emotions get the better of us to the extent that we have lost control. When we lose control like that, we too may do something that we will later regret and though we can come to God for forgiveness there may well be consequences to our actions.
Its also a reminder for us to be aware of the burden carried by those in authority over us. It’s never easy and they deserve encouragement and support, not our grumbling and complaining. Let’s remember to pray for them.
Dear Lord,
Help me to never lose control of my emotions leading me to not do as You have said. Help me to bring my anger and frustrations to the foot of the cross and leave them there. And help me to be an encouragement and support to those in authority, rather than a moaning Minnie. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.