"GOD'S PLAN!"

Numbers 20:2-12                (ESV)
"2 Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
3 And the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD!
4 Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle?
5 And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink."
6 Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared to them,
7 and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
8 "Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle."
9 And Moses took the staff from before the LORD, as he commanded him.
10 Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?"
11 And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.
12 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them."


There are times when GOD speaks in a "still, small voice"!  But there are times when the directions from GOD are clear, and we KNOW what direction GOD is leading, and we chose our own plan of action.  Moses had been instructed in Exodus 17 to "strike the rock" to bring water to the Israelites.  In Numbers 20:8, The LORD instructed Moses to "tell the rock" right in the view of the people to yield water.  Instead, Moses struck the rock....TWICE........ and GOD provided water.

The consequences for disobedience are certain.  Moses and Aaron were not allowed to bring the children of Israel into the land GOD had promised.  Although they had led the disobedient children of Israel through the dessert for so long, the rebellion against GOD and the remedy of their sin was great!

GOD has not changed.  HE still requires obedience, and for HIS children to walk by faith. Moses had, no doubt, grown weary of the lack of faith exhibited by the children of Israel.  Instead if following GOD'S PLAN, Moses decided to do things his way.

I need to make sure I am following GOD'S PLAN and not relying on my own plan for my life. GOD'S ways are not my ways (Isaiah 55:8-9) and my thoughts usually result in chaos for my life.  My desire is not to wander in the wilderness, rather to follow GOD'S PLAN for my life into the Promised Land!