Sat.’s Devo - The Goodness of God

Read: Numbers 10:1-11:23; Mark 14:1-21; Psalm 51:1-19; Proverbs 10:31-32 Their marching order was given in Numbers 2 but more in detail here. Leah’s sons went first: Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. Next were the two clans of Levi, also Leah’s, that carried the loads for the Tabernacle: Gershon and Merari. Then Reuben, Simeon - both Leah’s, followed by Gad from Leah’s concubine Zilpah. Next were all Rachel’s: Ephraim and Manasseh from Joseph, and Benjamin. Bringing up the rear were Dan, who was from Rachel’s concubine Bilhah, followed by Asher from Leah’s concubine and Naphtali from Rachel’s concubine. *** Moses has a conversation with his brother-in-law, Hobab, and tries to convince him to travel with them. Hobab is mentioned later in Judges when Israel was fighting Sisera which makes me think that he did go with them and settled with the Kenites. *** Whenever the cloud would move, they would move. Moses would always shout, “Arise, O Lord, and let your enemies be scattered! Let them flee before you!” What a great declaration to make every day! Then when they rested, he would say, “Return, O Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel!” *** It didn’t take the people long to start complaining about their lives and how hard it was. God sent a fire among them. The people cried out to Moses for help. Moses and prayed, and God put out the fire. *** The trouble-makers began to complain that they had no meat. They reminded the people of all the good meat they had in Egypt. God responded. *** He sent down manna which looked like seeds but when ground, boiled, and made into cakes, it tasted like pastries. This manna came down from heaven during the night. Still, the people whined. *** Moses had a meltdown before the Lord and complained about the people complaining. (Can you relate? I can.) When we feel like Moses, we should write down our complaints and then read them out loud and see if we would want people for generations to read it. I bet we would laugh and throw it in the trash can. Moses didn’t have that luxury…we are reading his complaints still today. *** God told Moses to tell the people to purify themselves because they would eat meat tomorrow. In fact, he was to tell them that they would eat meat for the next month! I bet Moses wished he hadn’t complained because now he had to promise them the impossible. God’s response to Moses’ lack of faith was, “Has my arm lost its power?” Did Moses forget what God had done in Egypt and at the Red Sea? *** When we need the impossible, we just need to remember all the impossible things God has done for us in the past. He is the same God and he will do it again. *** In Mark, It was two days before the Passover and Jesus’ enemies were still looking for a way to kill him, secretly. They agreed to wait until after the Passover so the people wouldn’t riot. *** While Jesus was in Bethany, a woman came in with a jar of expensive perfume an anointed his head with it. Some of the people at the table complained that it could have been sold and the money given to the poor. But, Jesus commended her saying, she had anointed his body for burial ahead of time. What she did that day would be discussed for ages to come. *** This must have been the straw that broke Judas’ back because he left and went to the leading priests, to talk about betraying Jesus. *** Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead of him to Jerusalem to find a place they could use to eat their Passover meal together. He told them to follow the man carrying a pitcher of water. They did, and he took them to a large room that had been set up for them. *** That evening as they sat in that room, Jesus told them that one of them sitting with them would betray him. The disciples were very distressed asking if they were the one. Jesus said that the one who was eating from the same bowl as him was the one. It would have been better if this man had not been born. *** Lord, may people remember us for the things we did that mattered for the kingdom instead of our complaints. May our mouths be filled with the good things you do, rather than the things you don’t do that we think you should do. We thank you that you are hundreds of moves ahead of us and all of them end up at the place of your goodness.