Immediately upon reading I
knew my devotional time would be spent camped around verse 8. Some people who
were ritually unclean needed a ruling about the Passover, so they came to Moses
for his decision. Moses answered them, "Wait
until I find out what the LORD commands concerning you."
As I sit and ponder Moses’
response, I find so much wisdom. People come to me with all manner of urgency
with particular faith questions. Sometimes the answer is plain and I can give
it. Often, however, the question is a new situation I haven’t considered or one
I am not immediately sure of the answer. Moses was in this latter situation. The
issue hadn’t come up and Moses was unsure of the answer, rather than blather on,
he said, Wait until I find out what the LORD
commands…
Brilliant!... What does God
have to say on the matter!
Too often in life I speed
alone guessing what God might say on a new issue or new question I haven’t
faced. Too often I accept the other person’s urgency or my own urgency on a
particular topic rather than pausing to talk with the
Lord.
Although the text isn’t
clear on the ensuing timeline, it seems like Moses got his answer from the Lord
in a short time. Maybe by the next day Moses was able to meet with the people
and give them God’s answer. Truth is, whether it was a day or a week, the answer
born out of consultation and communication with the Lord came in a timely
manner.
And by consulting with the
Lord first, Moses avoided a mistake and/or embarrassment. (If you want to see
what can happen if we answer without seeking God’s input, skip ahead and read
the paragraphs leading up to Joshua 9:14.)
Lord, I pray
for patience and wisdom to know those times when I should not rush ahead with an
answer but should wait so that I have time to check in and consult with You. I
mean, Lord, this is such practical advice, it seems I should know it. And yet I
know that sometimes I rush ahead. Forgive me and help me to be more attuned to
Your whispers and nudges to slow down and check in.
And, Lord, I
pray that I am more attuned to You in my life generally, not just when surprise
questions or decisions come my way. I pray this through Jesus, my Lord. Amen.
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