Speak

“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.”
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭20:7-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Speak

Over the last few decades, those that call upon the name of the LORD, have found themselves feeling a growing distance from God. He was once near, but now, many lack His spiritual presence in their days to day lives. In reality the Lord has not moved, but it is we who have departed from our faith.

We have gone after other gods, or have embraced traditions of men that do not come from the Holy Scriptures superintended by the Holy Spirit. We have chosen to strike the rock twice, rather than speak to it as the Lord has commanded.

In this season of estrangement, many of us are looking for many gimmicks to somehow being us closer, in the hope that God will hear our prayers and give us what we want.

I once heard of a gimmick where people literally circle what they want, praying repeatedly for it. This is supposed to get the attention of the Lord. All too often though those things desired are for the comfort of the flesh, and not the furtherance of the Gospel.

At the core of all the gimmicky things that people are doing, is an undercurrent unbelief, and worse yet, a sense that we somehow have the power to move Sovereign God to do our will, as if He is a cosmic genie.

This morning I read the familiar story of Moses going to the stone, the Rock of Horeb, as the children of Israel were in need of water. The Lord commanded Moses to speak to the stone. The Rock of Horeb is a type, or foreshadowing of Jesus. The first time Moses approached the rock, he was commanded to strike it, but this time he merely had to speak.

Jesus was stricken for our sins, bringing forth the living water. Because of His sacrifice, we access to God, and now we may enter into the Holy of Holies through prayer.

“and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.”
I Corinthians 10:4 NKJV

In his anger at the children of Israel, Moses had created distance between himself and God, and did not heed the command. A modicum of unbelief had entered in, and Moses did not speak, but struck the rock twice. He did not represent the Lord God as He should have.

Brothers and sisters, we are called to be ambassadors of the Lord, and it is incumbent upon us to represent Him as we should, as He truly is. Accurate portrayal of our Savior comes from knowing Him well. Knowing Jesus is dependent of reading His word, of yielding to the urgings of the Holy Spirit in all situations, and not giving into beliefs and feelings that are not His.

It also avoiding religious conventions devised by those of the flesh. Jesus has given us a great sacrifice, so majestic that we merely pray and we are heard. As we draw close to Him, we become more like Him, and our desires reflect HIs, as we pray according to His will.

I have found that the Lord answers those prayers promptly, because my heart has been transformed to desire what He desires for me.

Let us be people who live in confidence, knowing that the ear of the Lord is a mere anguished cry away. Let us also remember that, as the Rock in the Bible followed the children of Israel, our great Savior is fully aware of all that we are going through, and is even now at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf.

“Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”
Romans 8:33-34 NKJV

In these uncertain times, it is great blessing to know that we have a God who is fully aware of all that we are going through, and hears our prayers. Let us go and bold to tell the world of Jesus who gave us access to the throne of the Father. Let us be willing to lift others up, taking full advantage of that access we have to God.

The world has become dry, but we have access to the living water, and all the we need do is speak.

THE PRAYER CHAIR IS OPEN! Send me your requests!

https://www.allaboutgod.com/the-roman-road.htm