Responsibility

But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!” [Numbers 20.12]

Is it just me, or does it seem that, after all the grace and mercy God showed Israel in their foolish and flagrant rebellion, God was a little harsh to Moses and Aaron?

I think I am not alone is my estimation of this! But there is a lesson for us here - oh, there is a lesson for sure.

As maturity goes, God treats His own much the same as an earthly father treats his children. Younger, less mature children, while corrected for indiscretions, are typically corrected with less intensity than older, more mature children who "should" know better. This is exactly what we see with Moses and Aaron. The level of trust God imparts to His more mature children - including the power He trusts them to wield in His name - requires a higher level of obedience and maturity.

The level of responsibility God placed on Moses and Aaron was high to say the least. The plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and numerous other demonstrations of God's power clearly demonstrate God's trust of Moses and Aaron to use His power for His purposes. So, when Moses and Aaron struck the rock, instead of speaking to it as they were told, the violation was huge. Power is, in fact, incremental relative to the level of obedience of the one trusted to use it.

Father, help me to see how important it is to be one hundred percent yielded to You (including yielded to You in faith) in order to walk in Your power.