A Greater Great

A Greater Great

Bible Blast: Read Numbers 20:6-12

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!”

Numbers 20:12

Whenever I hear my friends from California talk about walking into the backyard to pick fresh avocados, mangoes, and other fruit right off the tree, I get so jealous! In fact, one friend is kind enough to send me avocados and oranges whenever I ask. Where I live, I can find apple and pear trees but not any of those tasty, exotic fruits I love.

If I want an avocado, I go to the grocery store and buy one. Sometimes it will have a sticker on it that says, “RIPE.” Yet when I take that “ripe” avocado home and cut into it, it’s not very ripe at all. I can still eat it and it tastes okay, but it’s not fantastic. Bummer. But if I have a little patience and wait just a couple of days, the avocado will ripen and get softer. Then it’s absolutely perfect for making guacamole!

Sometimes it takes self-discipline to wait for something; other times it takes self-control to do something exactly the way it should be done. Moses learned this the hard way. God gave Moses some specific instructions, but because he didn’t obey God’s exact commands, Moses suffered a terrible consequence. God was using Moses to lead the people through the wilderness to a beautiful land full of food and good things. God told Moses to speak to the rock, but instead Moses struck it. Since Moses hit that rock with his staff instead of just speaking to it like God said, he lost the privilege of ever going into that Promised Land.

Does that sound like heavy discipline to you? We don’t know if Moses hit the rock because he wanted to be more “showy” or if he just didn’t believe that speaking to the rock would produce water. Either way, if he had known what the consequence would be for his disobedience, I bet Moses wouldn’t even have thought about striking that rock!

God still gave the people water. But Moses didn’t get to live in the Promised Land. If only he had been obedient.

Girl Gab: In your relationship with God, don’t settle for “good.” Obey him completely and receive his best for your life! If you like avocados, make guacamole this week with your mom. (It’s okay if you don’t!) Make sure you ask God for patience and self-control to obey him 100 percent.