Like Water From Stone

When Bill told the story on Sunday of Moses striking a rock in order to provide water for the Israelites (Numbers 20), my mind started reeling. What could this mean for us?

God promised the Israelites sustenance, and while Moses knew God would provide, he wasn't confident in the passive way God wanted to give them what they needed. Instead, Moses decided to take matters into his own hands. Ultimately God's plan was carried out, but He had to break through Moses' stubbornness when Moses tried to break through that stone. God could have easily backed down on His promise because Moses disobeyed, but instead God chose to bless the Israelites in spite of that.

God promises to take care of us, and while we often trust that God will give us what we need, we doubt how or when. When we try and take back control, we disobey the Man with the plan. We are naturally stubborn and broken people, just like Moses, but God can work through those imperfections to bless us anyway. When we allow God to break us and pour out from us, then we can give God's love to the world. God pulls Living Water from our hearts of stone.

What could God strike us with? Family problems, financial problems, issues with school, relationship troubles, the list goes on. There are multiple factions God could use in your life to let loose the Spirit through you. God not only breaks us with trials, but our hearts could be transformed and God reflected through positive events like a college decision or dedicating your life to ministry. We admit that we are hard people; our hearts are rock solid and prone to resisting God. Unfortunately, we also learn from Numbers 20 that God can and will punish those who disobey Him (see verse 12). So we're left with a choice, a constant struggle between our bent human nature and our desire to let God work.

If we know that God's plan for us is better than what we can do ourselves, why do we doubt Him? What are the dangers of resisting God? Can you think of a time when God broke through your stubborn heart to carry out His ultimate plan?