2009 – Day 92.Apr. 3 – Anger’s Bitter Fruit

2009 – Day 92.Apr. 3 – Anger’s Bitter Fruit

Passage of the Day: Numbers 20: 1 - 13 … Link to study today’s passage ...

My Journal for Today: The primary message of today’s passage is twofold. First there is a message about God’s grace, which is truly amazing grace even when we don’t deserve it. Then there is the red flag warning about the danger of giving in to anger, which can lead to sin; and sin always has consequences.

In Numbers 20 we read how the people were grumbling to Moses and Aaron – AGAIN – about their lack of water, thinking – in their unfaithfulness – that God was going to let them die in the wilderness . What a short memory these people had, letting their privation and circumstances overwhelm their memory of how God had delivered them over and over again in their trek through the desert. And Moses apparently had had about all he could take of this disbelief; and after God had given Moses the instructions as to how to bring water to the people to meet their needs, Moses let his anger boil over; and he railed against God’s thirsty children, also showing distrust of God as he struck the rock, not once, but twice, in anger bringing forth the water. And Swindoll points out that Moses actually may have been surprised that the water came forth, possibly thinking that the people deserved their dry throats in their disbelief. But God’s grace poured forth in spite of Moses’ angry tirade. The water was provided

And notice that the water came forth in spite of Moses’ angry and sinful outburst. God’s people truly did need the water; and their merciful God provided water for them – in ABUNDANCE. But the water came even as Moses, God’s anointed deliverer, disobeyed God. And we know from reading forward that sin, especially from those who are God’s anointed leaders, always has consequences. And much later in his life, we read in Deut. 34: 1-3 [link provided] that God took Moses up to Mt. Nebo to see the Promised Land where this now elderly leader was never allowed to enter because of the sin committed in the scenario we read today.

Have you ever sinned against God; and He was merciful and brought you grace to move forward in life? I certainly have. But sin always has consequences; and those consequences may not show themselves until much later in life. King David experienced the death of a son, the son of his sin of passion with Bathsheba. The death occurred years after sin; but we know that it was a consequence of the sin. Moses struck the rock in anger, disobeying God; and it was years later that the consequences for that brief outburst of sin were felt in the life of Moses.

I hope we get the message; because our sin will leave its mark on our lives – even if God is merciful and provides us with His grace to move onward in life.

My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord; thank You for your mercy in my life; and I accept any of life which I have brought about because of my past sin. Amen