If You Hear God's Voice

Psalm 95:7-8
Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,
as you did that day at Massah in the desert,
where your fathers tested and tried me,
though they had seen what I did.

At Massah and Meribah, God told Moses to show the people that even in the desert, in a desolate place, God could provide for them everything they need. The people needed water, so they complained to Moses. God told him to take his staff and strike the rock so water would flow from it. That was the first time. The second time, God told Moses to take his staff and speak to the rock to let the water flow. Moses had struck the rock the first time and it worked. He had his staff with him. He apparently thought God had forgotten that rock-striking success, so he struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it in obedience to God.

The water flowed a second time. But was Moses successful?

God was merciful and gave the water anyway, but he had a little talk with Moses in Numbers 20:12. “But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.’”

When God speaks, we must remember and obey every word. God is merciful, but he expects us to trust him. His way is better than our way. We may not know why we’re supposed to speak to the rock rather than strike it, but if he said “strike”, then that’s what we should do.

If you hear God today, know that he is able to do anything. Be thankful that he asked you to participate with him in whatever task he assigned. Also know that you won’t be doing it alone.

He is with you.