THE LORD SPOKE (March 03)

Daily Reflections from Scripture:

Old Testament: Numbers 20-21

Whenever the name “Kadesh Barnea” came to mind, it was filled with powerful memories for Moses. He would have thought about:

1. As a little boy, hearing the stories about Abraham related to that place (Gen. 14:7; 16:41; 20:1).
2. The first time he saw it for himself, one month after leaving Mt. Sinai (Num. 20:1f). No doubt he would think of the spectacular topography of Scorpion Pass and the Desert of Zin (Num. 34:4).
3. Sending out and then the return of the spies, their report, and the awful rebellion that took place there (Num. 13:26f; 32:8 and context; Dt. 9:23-24). The people were ready to stone him on the spot.
4. His sister’s death. He left his dear sister, Miriam (the one who watched him in the river and arranged for his own mother to be his nursemaid), buried at Kadesh (Num. 20:1).
5. His moment of rage that kept him forever from the Promised Land. It was there that he struck the rock a second time in disobedience to the Lord (Num. 20:6-13; 27:12-14).
6. Sending out the emissaries to Edom, being rejected, and deciding to take the long way around (Num. 20:14-21).
7. The 38 miserable years it took after he left Kadesh Barnea (Dt. 2:14) to finally arrive at the back door to the Promised Land, leaving thousands and thousands of graves along the way. How many times did he remember the lovely oasis of Kadesh on that trip?

Yes, Kadesh Barnea bore some powerful memories for Moses for the rest of his life. Those lessons will only be lost if we forget them ourselves.


New Testament: Luke 18

He was so proud of his humility. Like a peacock, he preened and strutted when he went up to the Temple. The Pharisee really knew how to pray too. O, how he prayed! His special prayer voice even sounded like a peacock - rather grating on the ear. No antiquated Thee’s and Thou’s for him. He did manage to get four I’s into two sentences though. And the prayer soared for a moment and then crashed and burned on the floor of the Temple courtyard.

In stark contrast, a sinner knelt in an out-of-the-way corner and, with a broken heart, asked God for mercy. He was embarrassed to be seen, hardly daring to raise his voice to heaven. With a contrite spirit he let his request be known to God. It was simple enough - “Lord, please forgive me.” When he got up from his knees he was a different man. A great burden had been lifted. With a new bounce in his step, he returned home a happy man for he’d been set free of sin and death. He’d been forgiven!

The Pharisee, on the other hand, clomped back home carrying just as much baggage as he’d had before. Not only did he not get rid of anything, he actually picked up some more. Because he was “confident of [his] own righteousness and looked down on everybody else” (Lk. 18:9), he walked out with the same load he’d brought in. Like the self-righteous people Jesus talked about in the Sermon on the Mount, he received his reward in full (Mat. 6:2,26) and it only added to his burden.

What’s the solution?

1. Get down off your high horse. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” (I Pet. 5:6)
2. Lay your heavy burden down. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (I Pet. 5:7)
3. Deal with the Devil. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (I Pet. 5:8-9)
4. Let go and let God. “And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” (I Pet. 5:10-11)