Hope Beyond Consequences

Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

The devotional for today titled Hope Beyond Consequences was written by James Banks. Have you ever done something in anger you later regretted? When my son was wrestling with drug addiction, I said some harsh things in reaction to his choices.

My anger only discouraged him more, but eventually he encountered believers who spoke life and hope to him, and in time he was set free. Even someone as exemplary in faith as Moses did something he later regretted. In Numbers 20, when the people of Israel were in the desert and water was scarce, they complained bitterly. So God gave Moses and Aaron specific instructions. Speak to that rock before their eyes, and it will pour out its water. But Moses reacted in anger, giving himself and Aaron credit for the miracle instead of God, saying, Listen you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock? Then he disobeyed God directly and raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff.

Even though water flowed, there were tragic consequences. Neither Moses nor Aaron was allowed to enter the land God promised his people, but he was still merciful, allowing Moses to see it from afar. As with Moses, God still mercifully meets us in the desert of our disobedience to him. Through Jesus' death and resurrection, he kindly offers us forgiveness and hope.

No matter where we've been or what we've done, if we turn to him, he'll lead us into life. Now let's turn to the Old Testament. Our scripture reading today is from the book of Numbers, chapter 20, verses 2 through 12. Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. They quarreled with Moses and said, If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the Lord, why did you bring the Lord's community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place?

It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink. Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell face down, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. The Lord said to Moses, Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes, and it will pour out its water.

You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink. So Moses took the staff from the Lord's presence just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock? Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff.

Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank. 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. Let's pray. Loving Father, we thank you that even when we face difficult consequences for our failures, we never have to lose hope because you are always faithful. Would you help us to learn and grow from our mistakes and live as examples of your love and forgiveness to those who have yet to trust you with their lives? Thank you, Lord. It's in Jesus' name that we pray. Amen. Thanks for listening. My name is Wes Ward, and today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.