Day 9 - "Do it God's Way"

Day 9 - "Do it God's Way"

It is hard to do something someone else’s way sometimes. When we use our own way, we are in control of it. However, there’s someone who has the best way. You know who! We see people in scripture often get distracted and do things their own way. When they veer off God’s way of doing things it just doesn’t work out. I think of Eve when eating the fruit. I think of Jonah heading to Joppa. I think of Saul sparing the spoils of the Amalekites. I want to highlight another story - Moses.

Numbers 20:8 says, “You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.”

Moses, just do what you did before. Each time you trusted God, you did exactly what you did before. Except verse 11 shows a different side. He strikes the rock twice. Now water does come out. But remember, it’s not about if it will come out, it’s about how it came out. Moses disobeyed God. He misrepresented His holiness. He controlled things. He was angry. We find out in verse 12 he loses out on the promised land.

What does that mean for us? Three things:

It means that we cannot control how God pours out on us. God is going to get it done. He really doesn’t need us but He wants to use us - but His way. God said to speak to it not strike it. One meaning of the staff was that it represented the covenant with God. It’s almost as if Moses took that covenant and threw it on the ground. He got distracted.

It means that if we misrepresent His holiness, we don’t get the reward. We must be the best examples of holiness. We must show Jesus each and every day by the way we live our lives. If we don’t, we become a barrier for people to see Him clearly.

It means that it’s always better to speak than to strike. The Bible tells us to be angry but sin not. Don’t show our anger. Don’t show our frustration. It’s normal to have thoughts but it is different when we make the choice to put it into action.

Let’s choose today to do it God’s way! I want the promise. I don’t want to short change myself because I chose myself. I choose Him!

Prayer - “Dear Lord, give me the peace and strength to trust you in doing it your way. Keep me from anger when life frustrates me. Help me to represent you in the best way. Your way. The only way. I am done with control. I give it to you. Amen.”