A Kick & A Pat

[dave c]

A HEALING SHELTER MINISTRIES #135a, Re-Written 13FEB10

Water From The Rock—Part One: A Kick And A Pat

by rev. dave c

Numbers 20:1 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 desert, 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" (NIV).

Having taken place toward the end of the Israelites’ 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, I find in the incident described above a simultaneous kick in the back of the pants, and a comforting pat on the back of the shirt. That the Hebrew people were grumbling against Moses and Aaron, and ultimately against God (and that Moses totally lost his cool in dealing with them) does not preclude the fact that Jehovah provided the life critical water for which His chosen people were crying out. Additionally, even though Moses and Aaron were held accountable for the leader’s specific disobedience of God’s instructions, as well as for the arrogance that he displayed toward the tribes given to his care, Moses, upon his death, was still called by that same loving God, “the servant of the Lord” (De 34:5 and Jo 1:1&2). This is important.

A Kick In The Pants. Just because I might see people “getting watered” to varying degrees around me as I strive to fulfill the work that God has given me, that is not necessarily proof that I am performing my assignments in a manner that is obedient and displays a righteous attitude. Like Moses, I may be striking the rock out of my anger and frustration, instead of carefully listening for the ministering of the Holy Spirit with patience and self-control. And I may receive a judgment against me as a consequence. God’s will for His people will be done—with, or without, our full cooperation. If they need water, He’ll give them water.

A Pat On The Back. That leads me to my second point: I receive a kind of reassurance from this story. The only person who is more painfully aware of my shortcomings than I am is Jesus Christ—and He loves me anyway! If the advancement of the Kingdom was left solely (or, soul-ly) up to me, we’d all be in really serious trouble. I know the same is true for you, whether you are a recent convert to Christianity or you’re a 40 year veteran of the pastorate and pulpit. God can, and does, use me to accomplish His purposes even as I am making mistakes. For me, this is a big relief.

Philippians 1:15-18 provides a New Testament example of this same idea as Paul confesses, It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice (NIV). “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.” While these verses, and the story of Moses striking the rock, do not provide us license to act out of anger or from selfish ambition, they should serve as a level for self-judgment. Does my bubble come to rest somewhere in the middle between prideful self-confidence and spiritual timidity? If it is too far to the left or to the right, I need to spend some serious time listening to, and applying, the ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life.

...But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment (1Co 11:31; NIV). We are called “children of God” for good reason. While it means that we are joint heirs with Christ (Ro 8:16&17), it is also an indication of our lack of maturity and need for Divine guidance and correction as God molds us into the people He designed us to be. While missing the mark will have its consequences in this life, it does not preclude our heavenly Father’s love for us, nor negate His eternal promises. “Lord, I ask You to forgive us occasions when we display disobedience and arrogant presumption. Please, Jesus, build into us the confidence to go into the world in Your name and in the power of the Holy Spirit. You alone are Holy. You alone are All Mighty. Amen