Today's Passage: Numbers 19-20
In the two chapters we have today, there are two very distinct thoughts. Chapter 19 is all about the process of ritual cleansing. If a person came in contact with death (or even walked into the tent of someone who died), they had to go through this ritual cleansing process...and even after that, they were considered "unclean" for seven days. When someone was unclean they were cut off from everything that was "clean"...that meant the other people and their access to the tabernacle tent. In essence, they were cut off from God until they were clean again.
I'm so grateful that when Jesus came and died on the cross for me, He made me a clean that does not go away. When I sin, I'm coming into contact with death..this time, an eternal death. But when I ask Him to come into my life as Savior, His blood (as we talked about last Sunday in John 6) cleanses me from all unrighteousness once and for all. Although I continue to stumble and sin, I know the blood of Jesus covers me. I'll never be cut off from God again!
In Chapter 20, the people are once again griping and complaining about the method of God's deliverance. God tells Moses to go and speak to a rock and water will flow...but Moses, in his anger, strikes the rock with his staff. He doesn't bring honor to God because he does it his way, not God's way. This move will ultimately keep Moses from entering into the promised land. He will get a glimpse of it, but he will never set foot inside its boundaries.
I'm learning that I spend way too much energy on things I can't control and not enough on the things I can. Let me explain...Moses can't control the people or their grumbling. He lets his anger over this get the best of him. What he can control is his obedience to God, but instead he lets the other stuff get to him. I want to listen to God and do what He says. Time and time again in scripture it's proven that when we follow God with our whole heart, good things happen. When we don't, as Moses shows here, we're taking our chances.
How are you spending your energy...is it to increase your devotion to God? You have total control over that no matter the circumstances!
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