Read today’s texts first: Numbers 19-20; Psalm 28; Mark 5
May we never measure our understanding of
God’s will by our degree of comfort.
God’s will by our degree of comfort.
If only Moses could have read my devotional yesterday. After Jesus showed us how to safely navigate through the storms of life, Moses hits the rocks, literally. Instead of obeying God and using his words to refresh his people, Moses did things his own way, lashing out in anger. Using his staff to strike the rock, twice, is a classic metaphor for authority abuse.
Sometimes I think God was too hard on His friend Moses. He let him outlive his whole generation and just when he’s about to enjoy the fruit of 120 years of hard labour, he’s barred from the Promised Land. After 40 years of constant whining from 2 million ungrateful Jews, you’d think he’d be entitled to one angry outburst. But God has a higher standard for those who represent Him in leadership.
Jesus, in Mark 5, shows us how to walk through the clamour of life with sublime peace. Here is a man who is always in demand. The only time He can pray is late at night or early in the morning. He gets so tired that He can sleep on a rocking fishing boat in the middle of a life-threatening storm. He is constantly being interrupted. Even His interruptions are interrupted. While ministering, Jairus pleads for Him to come heal his dying daughter. While on His way, the woman with chronic bleeding reaches through the crowd around Him and grabs His garment. Instead of being irritated, He takes time to find the woman and commend her for her faith. That moment may have cost Jairus his daughter’s life, but that doesn’t seem to phase the One who is the “Resurrection and the Life”!
“Lord, I ask for that same kind of peace that only comes from doing what You ask me to do the way You tell me to do it and trusting that You will deliver on Your word.”
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