Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 106:32-39
Psalms 106:32-39
32 By the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them; 33 for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses' lips. 34 They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them, 35 but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs. 36 They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them. 37 They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. 38 They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood. 39 They defiled themselves by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted themselves.
If there ever were a time when it would be right to blame someone else for what he did wrong, it was this time for Moses. Moses had given his all in leading these people of God and had faced mostly criticism for his actions. It seemed the more he tried to do God’s will, the more stubborn and restless the people became. He was just as hot and thirsty as the rest of them but he did not blame God for the situation. He knew they needed water and he knew God would provide.
But the people and the situation got the best of him. God had told him to speak to the rock and water would come out. He did speak to it and he hit it but the real problem was that he took the credit for himself and Aaron for the water coming out of it. When he calls them “you rebels”, one can just hear the frustration in his voice. He was tired of their rebellion and their unbelief.
All of this did not make it right for him to take the credit that God deserved. It was because of this that he was not allowed to enter the land that had been promised to them. Rather than argue with God about it or blame the people or lead a protest, he humbly accepted the punishment he had coming because he knew he had done wrong. He sinned so he suffered.
Don’t be fooled, we get what we deserve based on our actions. This is another way of saying not to be deceived because we reap what we sow. We can either live for God, according to his will and enjoy eternal life or we can refuse to serve him and the wages of sin is death.
O God, give me a greater desire to know you, to love you and to live for you. Use me in your service to help others serve you too. Forgive me when I fail. Help me not judge others in their trials but rather encourage them to do your will. Keep me from making excuses when I sin and give me courage to just humbly admit my wrong doing. Lord, this morning I ask a special prayer for your people in Africa and especially in Zimbabwe as they struggle to be faithful to you. Increase their faith and give them your protection. I pray in the name of Jesus.
--Robert
