Week 4, Day 1
Begin with 2 minutes of silence
Scripture : Numbers 21:4-9
4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” 6 Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
Devotional
by Abby Anderson
What honestly sticks out to me the most from this story is the sin, itself, that the Israelites committed. They complained. They complained about food, water, and about wandering in the desert (which took place for FORTY years!). Truthfully, it would probably only take a few weeks for me to really start questioning God's plan if I was called to live in a tent for an undetermined amount of time...even with a fully stocked cooler.
From my perspective, the Israelites' sins were really about trust and contentment. They did not trust God to provide for them, even though He had proven time and again that He would. Also, they were not content with their circumstances. I think fear and discontentment can go hand-in-hand. They can both lead us towards trying to fulfill our own needs and desires, rather than resting in the peace of God.
God asks us to follow Him, to trust Him, and to find our satisfaction in Him. I am certain that I fail at this all of the time without even realizing that I am sinning. The amazing part about the grace of God though is that He is willing and quick to forgive. Once the Israelites recognized and confessed their sin, he provided reconciliation and protection.
Question to Consider
Are you resting in God's provision? Or are fear and/or discontentment disrupting your peace?
Prayer
Dear God, please forgive me for forgetting that You always provide and always satisfy. Please also forgive me for looking to outside sources for contentment. Help me to rely on You and to seek relief in Your grace.
Close with two minutes of silence