Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Numbers 19-20; Psalms 28; Mark 5

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘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.’…’Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?’ Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. 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.’”

Numbers 20:7, 8, 10-12

Moses faced a grumbling, thirsty, Israelite assembly who questioned his leadership and the mission they were on. The Lord commanded Moses to speak to a large rock in front of the assembly, and it would pour out its water. Earlier at Horeb, the Lord asked Moses to strike the rock with the staff of God (Exodus 17:6). Moses, when faced with a similar situation at Kadesh, decided to rely on what he did previously in striking the rock, rather than follow the Lord’s new command.

Why would Moses do that?

In leadership, it is easier to repeat what worked before, rather than trust God with new measures of faith. Moses was also very angry. He lost his temper. We don’t lead well when we are angry at people. Moses wrongly believed that it was he who brought water from the rock, and not the Lord. In leadership, our humility and dependency on God are essential.

As leaders, how are we responding to the thirst of others?

“Lord Jesus, I choose to obey, for your glory.”