Main Verse: Numbers 20

Good morning!

After all the nation had witnessed during the 40-year march in circles, blessings bestowed on them, and the sad deaths of Aaron, Miriam, and Moses one would think, “Obedience to the Lord is not a suggestion, it’s mandatory if I want to enjoy God’s blessings”; unfortunately, it didn’t ring in their ears. Because of it, the nation would not live forever in Canaan. The Lord’s plan was for the nation to live forever in the land from one generation to the next and to receive blessings after blessings. The problem, the 900 LB gorilla in the room, was “disobedience” sometimes a mistake in judgment, and others it was done on purpose upended that plan so another one was hatched. The biggest obstacle was the “Lax time”. During the conquest, the nation operated like a well-oiled machine and everybody worked together. After the conquest, people put down their arms and settled in and that was the start of problems (28:15-68).

The writer of the Book of Numbers, most likely Ezra, didn’t put all of that data in to make people think, “What a wicked bunch of idiots”; it was written to warn and admonish Israel about the consequences of disobedience. The reader, You, and I, can take a lesson from the earlier generations (Romans 15:4). The problem is it is not as simple as, “Be obedient” because life throws curve balls some of our doing and others from the outside. Basically, we make mistakes in judgment and think “This is for a good reason”. In our churches and Sunday schools, we promise to be obedient but Monday comes and our plans go out the window. Please understand this and make a note of it that we make mistakes because we are human and life is not perfect! For this reason, the Lord extends grace, mercy, forgiveness, and above all, “Love” to us in turn we need to extend them to others; being extended these four items doesn’t in any way imply that there will be no consequences! When we sin, we lose something(s) maybe a relationship, a coveted position, or a ministry, and sometimes we die without having reached our stated goal(s). When other people hurt us, we need to extend the four listed items to them but it doesn’t mean that we need to continue to let them hurt and destroy us; Yes, they made a mistake but mistakes have consequences.

I.HS. MK

Father,

I wish I could stand before you and tell you, “I did everything you told me to do, I was obedient all of my life, and I deserve to be in Heaven” but, that would be a lie. I wish that I could follow through on Job’s diatribe to the three clowns and stand before you and demand an apology for the way I was treated but, like Job, all I can do is lay face down before you and beg for forgiveness. At one time I walked on the mountains with you and you shared your vantage point because of obedience. I have been broken many times over for my mistakes in judgment. I wish I could go back and undo the things I did, the words I have spoken, and the pain I have inflicted on you but life doesn’t operate that way, I am so thankful that you do not hold my sins against me because I would never be able to stand before you (Psalms 130:1); instead, you pick me up, dust me off, and push me onward. Please help me to be like the voice of Moses to Jesus and encourage people to never give up, always be obedient to the Lord, and never forget who we are in Jesus Christ. Please also help me remember the four items in all of my dealings and close the door with love and grace to those who continue to hurt me.

In Jesus’ name