Devotions

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Walk out in front of the people. Take your staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile, and call some of the elders of Israel to join you. I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.’ So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on” (Exodus 17:5-6, NLT).

The details of this scene — and of God’s compassion for the people — are replayed through Jesus’ sacrifice. Christ is the rock that was struck for our transgressions when we were lost and wandering. And He is the living water that sustains us. Paul tells us:

“I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. . . . For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:1, 4).

HOLDING ON TO BITTERNESS

The scene in the wilderness demonstrates what Jesus does for grumbling people: He takes on their punishment and declares, “I’ll stand condemned for them; I’ll be scourged; I’ll take their sins upon my back; I’ll be nailed to the cross in their place — all so that they might receive abundant life.”

Some Christians forfeit this awesome gift by holding on to bitterness. Paul says, “Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. These things happened as a warning to us” (1 Corinthians 10:5-6).

GOD’S BEAUTIFUL GRACE

Our lives can wither away in bitterness, or we can be revived by the beautiful grace God offers us — it’s our choice. But His promise remains available to us either way — and He gives us newness of life.

Two thousand years ago, the disciples had Jesus as their teacher, but even they had problems understanding what He taught them. There are countless examples of Jesus saying something and the disciples completely missing the point. They just didn’t get it. In fact one of them even argued with Him, saying “No, You won’t go to the cross. I won’t let that happen.”

Jesus would teach them about trusting God, and in the next chapter, we see them not trusting God. Jesus even used Himself as an example during a lesson about humility. During the Last Supper, Jesus showed Himself as a servant of the Lord and washed the disciples’ feet. Yet during that same dinner, the disciples argued about which one of them was the greatest (Luke 22:24-27).

But Jesus promised that when He died, another teacher would come and help them to properly digest spiritual truth.

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that He will receive what He will make known to you” (John 16:12-14, emphasis added).

Jesus not only told them a better teacher was on the way but He also said the new teacher would convey truth that He couldn’t pass on at that time. In other words, Jesus was saying, “I have more to say, and the new teacher will be the one to teach you about it.” The Spirit “will guide you into all the truth,” which includes applying the message to the hearts of the disciples. Then the meaning of Jesus’ life and death, faith, hope, love, the power of prayer, and much more would all be made crystal clear to them.

Jim Cymbala began the Brooklyn Tabernacle with less than twenty members in a small, rundown building in a difficult part of the city. A native of Brooklyn, he is a longtime friend of both David and Gary Wilkerson. 

I wonder if the angels are baffled by all the worry and anxiousness of those who claim to trust in the Lord. To those celestial beings, it must seem insulting to God that we worry as if we had no caring Father in heaven.

What perplexing questions the angels must ask among themselves:

“Do they not believe the One who loves them? Did He not tell them He knows about all their needs? Do they not know the Father sends us to take charge of them in times of danger? Do they not believe that He who feeds the birds, the fish, the whole animal kingdom will feed and clothe them? How can they fret and worry when they know God possesses all power, all wealth, and can supply the needs of all creation? How can they accuse Him of neglect, as if He isn’t true to His Word?”

The birds sing, while we complain and speak of fear and anxiety. The lilies of the field stand tall in their glory, while we wilt and bend before the smallest wind of adversity.

The following poem puts it succinctly:

The very birds reprove thee with all their happy song;

            the very flowers teach thee that fretting is a wrong.

“Cheer up,” the sparrow chirpeth. “Thy Father feedeth me;

            think how much He careth, oh lovely child, for thee.”

“Fear not,” the flowers whisper, “since thus He hath arrayed

            the buttercup and daisy. How canst thou be afraid?”

Then don’t you trouble trouble, till trouble troubles you.

            You’ll only double trouble, and trouble others too.

You most definitely have a heavenly Father. Trust in Him!

 “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek)” (Matthew 6:31-32).

Jesus is warning about the heathen tendency to worry, and His words touch my soul. He tells us that worry—over our job, our family, our survival—is a heathen’s way of living.

A BAD ATTITUDE

Worry is the attitude of those who have no heavenly Father. They do not know God as He desires to be known: as a caring, providing, loving Father in heaven.

To all who believe, it is not enough to know God only as the Almighty, the Creator, Lord of all. He also wants us to know Him as our heavenly Father.

“For your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all these things” (6:32).

            “Take therefore no thought for tomorrow” (6:34).

A RIGHT ATTITUDE

With these plain words, Jesus commands us: “Do not give a thought, a single worry, to what might or might not happen tomorrow. You can’t change anything. And you can’t help by worrying. When you do so, you’re only doing as the heathen do.”

Jesus then says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (6:33). In other words, we are to go on loving Jesus. We are to move on, casting all our cares on Him. And we are to rest in His faithfulness. Our heavenly Father will see to it that we are supplied with all the essential things of life.

We simply cannot explain why many righteous people face insurmountable sufferings. Why do the difficulties increase for those who love God deeply?

“It’s all meant to teach patience.”

“It teaches God’s people to trust Him more.”

Really? Are those actual reasons or nothing more than clichés? Certainly such statements are empty of meaning to those who are enduring critical crises.

During a recent time of great personal testing, I asked the Lord, “If there are lessons I need to know from this present trial, please teach me.”

IT’S ALL ABOUT ETERNITY

The Spirit spoke clearly to my heart: “Your present affliction has nothing to do with chastening. In fact, it has nothing at all to do with this world. Your intense, long-lasting trial has to do with eternity. I am preparing you for your service and ministry in My Kingdom.”

Dear saint, I believe we are being weaned from everything that is of this world. The pains we are experiencing right now are awful birth pangs. God has allowed us to be so weakened of human strength that we will stop all our striving and let Him take us the rest of the way.

There is an old gospel song:

By and by, when the morning comes, 
When all the saints of God are gathered home, 
We will tell the story of how we've overcome, 
And we'll understand it better by and by. 

I have testified of God’s goodness throughout my lifetime. And in the new world to come, I’m going to tell my story all over heaven—the story of how real, near and merciful Jesus was to me in my worst times. Glory to God!