3-5-15. Exodus 17:5-7. Follow God’s Lead When Ministering To A Grumbling Crowd-my devotional
3-5-15. Exodus 17:5-7. Follow God’s Lead When Ministering To A Grumbling Crowd-my devotional
Exodus 17:5-7 Kevin E. Jesmer
Key verse 17:5 3-5-15
“The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.”
Exodus 17:5-7, “5 The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 And he called the place Massah and Meribah because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (NIV)
There are some leadership tips here in this passage, on how to minister to a grumbling crowd. Look at verse 5, “The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go.”
First, Go out in front of the people, even when it is uncomfortable. Do not just do things behind closed doors when you are a leader. Be visible. Be transparent. Go out in front of the people. Do not send someone else to do what you need to do. Show up, even though it may be very uncomfortable.
Second, work through elders. Do not just be an autocratic leader. God raises up elders…work with them and along side them. Even if some other elders were the ones who were complaining, do not bypass them.
Third, always remember God’s grace in the past. “Take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile”. When you are standing up in front of the people, have some historical connection to be reminded how God worked in the past. Don’t ignore the history of God. The leaders and the people must always be reminded of the grace of God when they act.
Fourth, “and go.” Don’t second guess yourself. If God wants you to go forth on a mission, even a mission to speak to a grumbling crowd, go. Don’t hesitate. Trust God, that he will give you the words to speak. God will work a miracle. Mark 13:11, “Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” In one sense Moses is being judged by his own people. It is a type of trial where the people are the judge. In this case Moses needed to go and trust that God will help him to speak the right words and do the right thing.
And God came through, telling Moses the right thing to do. Look at verse 6, “6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” The Lord told Moses to strike the rock; when he did, fresh water gushed out. Moses would never, in a million years, think about striking a rock to make water flow out, and not only flow out, but gush out. It was all because God gave him the best and wisest and most timely instructions. We can trust God, that he will be right there to inspire those who are called to be his followers and his leaders. We just need faith to follow his lead.
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