Tuesday 12th September
Read Numbers 20:2-5
“Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. 3 They quarrelled 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 wilderness, 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 corn or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!’” (NIVUK)
One wonders at the hearts of these people. Surely, after everything they have seen Yahweh do for them, the simplest response to the lack of water is to pray and ask? But their instinct is to turn on their leaders and blame them for everything. They prefer the earth to swallow them or fire to consume them – a quick death – instead of turning to Yahweh and requesting water. Completely blind to the irony of asking for figs, pomegranates and grapes when the spies had brought those very items out of the land promised to them by Yahweh.
Yet how often have we done precisely the same as them? Worrying and blaming others rather than simply asking God and trusting Him? “So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?”32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:31-33) (NIVUK)
