Focal Passage: Numbers 20:1-13
I’ll never forget my first trip to Carowinds. One of the new attractions opening that weekend was called The Xtreme Skycoaster – a towering steel lift that combined bungee jumping, hang gliding and skydiving. I was excited about the adventure of plunging 150 feet below to the ground at 65 miles per hour!
After convincing my grandparents this was a good idea and being strapped into the harness, the operator gave me instructions: Once I got to the top of the lift, he would give me a thumbs up to safely pull the ripcord. There was only one problem; when I got to the peak, I could not see the thumbs up! I had to make a life and death decision: when is it time to pull the ripcord?
God requires a belief that compels us to act faithfully in following the Lord’s instructions. In the wilderness, obedience was God’s requirement for His people. Time after time God had provided for Moses and the Israelites.
Numbers 20 is not the first time the Israelites were in need of God’s provision. Earlier in Exodus 17, the previous generation of Israelites had been to this rock and God had provided them water.
Moses’ response to the rebellious Israelites led God to confront him about his own unbelief and disobedience. He didn’t believe that speaking to the rock would work, so, in his anger, he slammed his staff against it. Despite his failing, God still allowed water to trickle from the rock. His grace prevailed over unbelief.