CLOSE BUT NO MEDAL

READING: NUMBERS 20:6-13

Verse 11: “Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly...”

This passage describes the great sin of Moses. God told him to speak to a rock to have it produce water for the people. Instead, Moses struck the rock twice with his rod to produce the water. God’s response to this disobedience was to prohibit Moses from entering the Promised Land. By the majority of today’s standards, what Moses did would not be classified as a great sin. Some would conclude that he basically did what the Lord wanted to have done. He was in the ballpark. He pretty much got it right, maybe not perfect but good enough. After all the water really did come forth. However, the Lord did not see it that way at all nor should we as modern Christians have that permissive type of attitude or thought. If we are to be faithful and productive for the Kingdom of God, we can’t be “in the ballpark” Believers. We need to be in the right section of that ballpark and on the right seat. We must commit to and carry out consistent precision and exactness in our responses to the Father. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.

RESPONSE

1. Have you had an experience when “in the ballpark” was not good enough?

2. What place does tolerance have in our relationships with the Lord?