Links for today’s readings:
Read: Numbers 32 Listen: (5:22) Read: 1 Corinthians 6 Listen: (3:03)
Links for this weekend’s readings:
Read: Numbers 33 Listen: (4:53) Read: 1 Corinthians 7 Listen: (6:09)
Read: Numbers 34 Listen: (2:59) Read: 1 Corinthians 8 Listen: (1:54)
Scripture Focus: Numbers 32.14-24
14 “And here you are, a brood of sinners, standing in the place of your fathers and making the Lord even more angry with Israel. 15 If you turn away from following him, he will again leave all this people in the wilderness, and you will be the cause of their destruction.” 16 Then they came up to him and said, “We would like to build pens here for our livestock and cities for our women and children. 17 But we will arm ourselves for battle and go ahead of the Israelites until we have brought them to their place. Meanwhile our women and children will live in fortified cities, for protection from the inhabitants of the land. 18 We will not return to our homes until each of the Israelites has received their inheritance. 19 We will not receive any inheritance with them on the other side of the Jordan, because our inheritance has come to us on the east side of the Jordan.” 20 Then Moses said to them, “If you will do this—if you will arm yourselves before the Lord for battle 21 and if all of you who are armed cross over the Jordan before the Lord until he has driven his enemies out before him—22 then when the land is subdued before the Lord, you may return and be free from your obligation to the Lord and to Israel. And this land will be your possession before the Lord. 23 “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out. 24 Build cities for your women and children, and pens for your flocks, but do what you have promised.”
Reflection: Don’t Rage Out or Tap Out
By John Tillman
Even Moses had flaws and one of his was his temper.
In Numbers 20, the people grumbled about water. God instructed Moses to bring forth water by speaking to a rock. Moses lost his temper, yelled at the people, and struck the rock instead. (Numbers 20.8-12) Because of this, God told Moses he would not enter the Promised Land. Moses remained bitter about this. Near the end of his life, Moses continued to blame the Israelites for provoking him and making God angry with him. (Deuteronomy 3.25-27)
In Numbers 32, three groups of Israelites, Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, came to Moses and requested to take their inheritance of land on the east side of the Jordan. Moses snapped. Moses had just spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness because the fathers of these tribes refused to go into the land. Now, it seemed to Moses these leaders were repeating that mistake. Moses said that they were making the Lord angry. But was that true?
The tribes’ intention was not to refuse to go into the land. They intended to make a vow to lead the military campaigns, fighting for their brother tribes until they all secured their promised land. God must have known what was in their heart, but Moses misunderstood their intentions and leapt to a conclusion in anger. After further explanation, Moses approved their plan and their vow.
There are at least two things to learn from this.
Don’t rage out. Anger has a corrosive effect on our perceptions of things, events, and people. Holding a grudge or a grievance hardens our heart. The angrier we become and the longer we stay that way, the more likely we will be to have misunderstandings and respond with angry outbursts.
Don’t tap out. We mustn’t tap out early when there is still work to be done. When we have secured God’s blessings for ourselves, we mustn’t “tap out” and rest. We must press on, for the good of others, even when we have reached our reward. Just because we have secured God’s blessings for ourselves, obeyed the gospel, experienced freedom of religion and conscience, and are free from want or poverty, doesn’t mean there is not more to do on behalf of our brothers and sisters.
Keep listening to better understand others. Keep working to bring the blessings of our promised kingdom to as many people as will receive it.
Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer
Search for the Lord and his strength; continually seek his face. — Psalm 105.4
– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime
by Phyllis Tickle
Read more: Who Needs Anger?
Anger is out of control in our society. Two of the main reasons why are that anger feels good and anger is profitable.
Read more: Anger Industrial Complex
Anger will rule us or we will rule it. We must ask, “Why am I angry?” and “How can I turn anger toward loving action?”
