Focal Passage: Numbers 20:2-13
As a dad of three growing boys, I can say one thing with certainty: They can eat. Our refrigerator is rarely safe. Yet sometimes I’ll find one of them standing with the fridge door wide open, frustrated because “there’s nothing to eat.” Of course, there’s food — it just may not be what they want in that moment. Their mom and I will never let them go without. But their frustration blinds them to what’s already been provided.
That’s the spirit we see in Numbers 20. God had proven His faithfulness to Israel again and again, yet the people chose to complain. The passage reveals a progression of distrust that we, too, often fall into.
Israel focused on what they didn’t have rather than on what God had already given (vv. 2-5). Complaining blinded them to His past provision. We do the same when we grumble about our circumstances and overlook God’s blessings. Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:19, “My God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Trust means believing God’s provision is enough — even when it doesn’t match our preferences.
Sinquefield
To their credit, Moses and Aaron initially did the right thing: They took the matter to God (vv. 6-8). This is always the right first step. Yet how often do we skip prayer and go straight into problem-solving mode? We treat prayer as a last resort when it should be our first instinct. It’s our most valuable resource, but often our most underused.
God gave clear instructions, but Moses didn’t fully obey (vv. 9-11). He heard, but he didn’t truly listen. Frustrated and angry, he struck the rock instead of speaking to it as God commanded. How often are we like Moses — hearing only what we want to hear, obeying only what makes sense to us? Anger and self-reliance often distort God’s word, leading us to act in ways that rob Him of glory.
Moses’ disobedience shifted the focus from God to himself and robbed God of His glory (vv. 12-13). By striking the rock, he appeared to be the miracle worker, not the Lord. As Isaiah 42:8 reminds us, God will not give His glory to another. The consequence was severe: Moses and Aaron were not allowed to enter the promised land. When we fail to trust God and take matters into our own hands, we may receive temporary credit, but it comes at the cost of God’s glory — and often, with painful consequences.
Trusting God isn’t always easy. The world is broken, our bodies get broken, our hearts get broken. Discouragement is real. But God has demonstrated His faithfulness time and again, and He calls us to trust Him. The hymn says it well:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
When we turn our eyes to Him, complaints fade, obedience becomes possible, and trust takes root. B&R
