200 feet off the ground leashed to the rock by a rope, I found myself staring at the creek far below. People were swimming and splashing in the water surely satisfied by its cool wetness. Seneca West Virginia in mid-summer is hot. The sun baked any exposed skin and there was not a spot of shade on the wall. Another 200 feet up and then a rappel and hike back down. It would take hours and I was thirsty and well on my way to dehydration.
In Numbers 20, we see Moses and Aaron being put to the test, again, by the community of the Israelites who were desperate for water and life. I think too often we forget the importance of water due to its availability in our country. Can you imagine a wasteland, desert, or a time you experienced extreme thirst? Envision your family, loved ones, and lively hood all suffering from lack of sustenance. Surely you would seek leadership of someone to take action? The Israelites approached Moses and Aaron and they responded by seeking the Lord, in Numbers 20:6 they fell face down and the glory of the lord appeared to them. Then the Lord said to Moses "Speak to the rock before their eyes and it will pour out water." When Moses acted, he Struck the rock, disobeying the Lords command to speak, perhaps taking some of the glory for himself. Because Moses did not "believe" in the Lord and "honor Him as holy in the sight of the Israelites" he would not be allowed to lead the Israelite community into the land promised by the Lord.
How is God testing you lately? Does your desperation for Jesus Christ match that of the Israelites thirst? Are you falling on your face before the Lord when faced with trials? When the Lord acts are you giving Him the glory or keeping some for yourself?
I looked up and saw the towering rock, Seneca, looming above. I smiled as I quickly submerged my entire body in the water, satisfying every part of my parched body.
"It is a great mercy to have plenty of water, a mercy which, if we found the want of, we should more own the worth of." ~Matthew Henry~
Isn't that how it is in our relationship with Jesus Christ? -AG
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