Tues.’s Devo - God is Faithful

Read: Numbers 10:1-11:23; Mark 14:1-21; Psalm 51:1-19; Provers 10:31-32 God told Moses to make two trumpets of hammered silver to call the community together and for signaling them to break camp. When both were blown they were to assemble but when only one was blown they were to break camp and leave. There were different signals for each group to march starting with the tribes to the east. They were Judah, Issachar and Zebulun. Next the Gershonites and the Merarites would go with all the poles and equipment to set up the Tabernacle. Reuben, Simeon and Gad traveled next followed by the Gershonites who were carrying the Tabernacle furniture on their shoulders. By the time they reached the destination the Gershonites and Merarites had the Tabernacle all set up so they could just march in with the furniture. The rest of the tribes followed them. Moses tried to talk his brother-in-law into traveling with them since he knew the wilderness and though it isn’t clear, it seems he didn’t choose to go with Moses. Whenever they would break camp and start moving Moses would shout,”Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered! Let them flee before you!” That is a good declaration for the beginning of our day. It didn’t take long for the people to complain. They were given manna from heaven which tasted like a pastry when cooked and yet they craved meat. They craved what they did not have and began to think of Egypt and all the food they had there, forgetting all the oppression that came along with it. Moses was exasperated and went to God to complain. God gave Moses people to help him and told him that he would send them so much meat that they wouldn’t be able to eat it all. Moses doubted how God could do this and his answer was, “Has my arm lost its power? Now you will see whether or not my word comes true!” What a great reminder to us in our problems. God is still the same God he was then and his power is still strong. He is the one who fights our battles for us. In Mark, it was two days before Jesus would die. Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon when a lady came in and anointed Jesus’ head with costly perfume. She was scolded for her extravagance when she would have sold the perfume and given the money for the poor. Jesus rebuked them she was anointing his body for burial and she would be remembered for years to come for what she did. Judas left and went to the priests to negotiate his betrayal of Jesus to them. On the next day it was the first day of Unleavened bread. Jesus sent his disciples into Jerusalem to find a man carrying a pitcher of water. They were to follow him and he would take them upstairs to a large room that was prepared for them. At the Passover meal, Jesus exposed that one of them would betray him and said that it would be better if that person had never been born. Lord, we believe that your arm has not lost its power and that you have come to rescue us and our nation. We put all of our trust in you. May You arise and let your enemies be scattered and flee before you.