5/27/2020 Wednesday Devotional
Moses’ Prayer of Discouragement Numbers 11:10-30
Background:
Israel began the trip from Mt Sinai to Canaan in Numbers 10.The people traveled for three day (10; 33), and then we read, they sinned by murmuring or complaining! We see how Moses and God reacted to that sin before reporting that God struck the people with a very severe plague. (11:33)
In 11.11-15 we have one of the longer prayers of Moses, and indeed one of the most intense. Israel had rejected the manna, vv.4-6, and God’s anger “was greatly kindled” v.10. Notice that the leader, who was in tune with God, “also was greatly displeased” v.10.
Lessons to Learn:
- Notice that the leader, who was in tune with God, “also was greatly displeased” v.10. A deep prayer life like that of Moses means that he is in complete harmony with the attitude of God against sin.
- One of the tell-tale signs that our prayer life is out of tune is when we begin to tolerate sin. Are you no longer shocked by sin? Do you not even raise an eyebrow when foul language is uttered in your presence, or sin is openly flaunted before you? If so, the reason is that you have lost your intimacy with God; your prayer life is on the wane.
- Moses’ prayer reveals the confusion in his soul. Notice in the words he expressed that he had lost sight of what God expected of him as a leader, V.11. The pressure of a complaining people had worn him down to the point where he felt that by their disobedience God was afflicting him! One of the early signs of discouragement is when you feel that the pressures of life are an affliction from the Lord. God was not responsible for Israel’s sin, nor for Moses’ afflictions.
- The pressures of life and leadership had caused Moses to forget the plainly revealed mind of God. In vv.12,13 Moses expresses his deepest concerns, further demonstrating that his thinking has gone astray. In v.14 he states “I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.” Of course he is not able. Of course they are too heavy for him. Sometimes we get the wrong idea of what God expects from us in His service, and the result is massive discouragement. The earlier experience that Moses had of the presence of God and the knowledge of God seems to have been lost, and discouragement develops into despair.
Questions to Ponder:
- How did God deal with His petulant servant?
- Meditate on 2 Cor 1:3-4
- What character traits do you notice of God in this passage?
- What do you think, when the text says “Is the Lord’s power limited?” (11:23)
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