God expects more from His leaders

Moses blew it as a leader and ultimately lost the position of authority that God placed him in.  A hot temper and refusal to take responsibility for his actions kept Moses from crossing the finish line and entering into God's Promised Land. 

The Israelites were extremely shortsighted and didn't remember how God had provided for them throughout their journey.  Every time things got tough out in the wilderness, the community would whine about how much better off they were living back in Egypt. With every complaint, Moses patience wore thinner and thinner.  Moses was sick and tired of the Israelites' belly aching and he had his mind made up that he was going to put the ungrateful complainers in their place.

The camp was thirsty and they cried out to Moses for water.  Although the Israelites had issues with continuing to trust God's timing, they didn't try to take matters into their own hands.  They voiced their concerns through Moses because he had been given the leadership role by God; in this, the Israelites showed obedience to God by respecting the authority put in place above them, regardless of their agreement with the decisions made.  Moses and Aaron consulted God for a resolution to their situation.  God gave them explicit instructions for how they were to get the water, but from Moses' actions that followed, it appears that he was only concerned with what  "needed" to be done and not how  it was to be done.  Instead of bringing forth the water by speaking to the rock  as God instructed, Moses used the moment to show his disgust with the people and struck the rock twice with his staff, bringing the flow of water. 

While seemingly insignificant because the Israelites got the water they were begging for, Moses' disobedient tantrum cost him his leadership status and a place in the Promised Land.  As children of God, disobedient means are not justified by the end.  The people didn't know that Moses disobeyed God because they weren't in on the conversation, but God knew that a disobedient and impatient person couldn't remain in leadership over others.  Moses tried later to appeal to God for the privilege of crossing into the Promised Land, but he still wasn't permitted.  After being denied entry for a second time, Moses still didn't take responsibility for his actions and attributed God's anger to the Israelites' disobedience of Moses.

It may not seem fair that Moses missed out on the end because of this slip up after all that he had been through, from leading the community out of Egypt to wandering with them in wilderness for forty years.  Nonetheless, God has given us His Word and he has spoken clearly about how  we are to do things.  He has given us directions about how  we are to relate with Him, our conduct with others, our finances, our sexuality and marriage, among other things.  God wants us to trust His guidance and His timing.  Obedience is not an option for leaders and those under them alike, but God expects more from His leaders.

The bad news: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 
The Good News: Jesus met God's perfect standard and through Jesus' death on the cross in our place, we have been justified, our sins are forgiven, and we have direct access to God our Father.

Created about 1 year ago