FAITH CAPSULE: Be accountable and not count yourself out through disobedience.

Exodus 17:1-7, Numbers 20:7-13

The first time the Israelites complained about the lack of water God commanded Moses, “And the Lord said to Moses, “Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.”” (Exodus 17:5-6) Moses was attentive enough to get the command right. When the children of Israel began to thirst for water again, after the first experience God commanded Moses, “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.” (Numbers 20: 7-8)
The first attempt to get water called for striking the rock while the second time called for speaking to the rock. At the first attempt Moses followed God’s command by striking the rock. The second time Moses failed to follow as commanded by God.
The bible recorded that, “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. Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” (Numbers 20:11-12)
Striking is not same as speaking. Failure to fully obey is an avenue to self-destruction. No man can calculate God; God is not a mathematics whereby we add two plus two and get four; He is a God that we must be perfect in our accountability to His command. Have you been playing God instead of placing God’s command before His congregation? Are you one that is paying attention to details in every area of His command for your direction? Moses was a giant in the hand of God; he was a man of great exploit by virtue of God’s calling but he missed out of God’s Promised Land on account of the children of Israel. To man, Moses did all that was enough to get him through to the Promised Land. To God, he missed it on account of the children of Israel. Be accountable and not count yourself out through disobedience.

Prayer for today: Ask for the mercy of God to be fully obedient in all areas of life.