Contemplative Bible Reading

Numbers 14:17 (New Living Translation)

17 Please, Lord, prove that your power is as great as you have claimed…

This is probably one of the stupidest things every said by any person at any time.

It is part of the (hi)story of the people traveling the desert after escaping Egypt and entering the land promised by God. The scouts returned with tales of a land that could not be conquered. The people wanted to kill a couple of scouts who said God would deliver the land despite the challenges.

Everyone is in an uproar. This is a full-fledged riot and coup. God appears in a cloud. Moses, a humble and devout servant, opens his mouth and says, “Come on God, prove yourself to me.”

Are you kidding? A person telling God to prove God’s worth? What kind of stupid is that? It is the kind of stupid that marked an otherwise great man. Moses was the almost perfect servant of God. Moses did the impossible through faith in God. Moses stood up to the most powerful ruler of the most powerful nation on earth. Moses walked by faith, not by sight. Moses endured. On and on I can write about the worth and accomplishments of Moses.

Yet Moses stands here and says this.

Fatigue wins again. Moses was tired physically, mentally, and emotionally. Fear wins again. This was a riot and a coup. The crowd would kill Moses in its frenzy. Frailty wins again. Sometimes us humans succumb to being human. We just can’t do it.

Yet, God stays with me. Blessed be the Lord. Please God, help me in my unbelief.