Gracious Corrections

Numbers 19:1-20:29

Luke 1:1-25

Psalm 56:1-13

Proverbs 11:8

Am I the only one who feels like this time change is kicking their butt??

I feel really distracted and out of it...I'm having a hard time adjusting and even though I feel like it's only 11pm it is almost midnight and I have work tomorrow...so I have to keep this brief.

Moses and Zechariah. Two men who served the Lord faithfully, honored God, lived righteous lives. Two men who were leaders in their faith, who prayed on behalf of Israel. Two men who loved God. And two men who each had a moment of weakness in their faith.

Moses struck the rock twice even though the Lord said he only needed to speak to it. Zechariah asked for confirmation that the Lord would do as He said He would. On the outside these seem like minor mishaps...but they speak to the core of the issue: they didn't trust God when it mattered. And so Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land and Zechariah was mute for 9 months.

I know I make a lot of mistakes...I know that I come across moments all the time when it matters if I trust God and I don't. And when I read stories like these it's hard for me to see how God is gracious. But He is. His correcting the behavior is grace in itself. And He is gracious because He forgives. He is gracious because maybe Moses didn't see the Promised Land, but Moses still lives with God forever. The real prize could not be taken from him.