Numbers 17:12-13
“The People of Israel said to Moses, ‘We’re as good as dead. This is our death sentence. Anyone who even gets close to The Dwelling of GOD is as good as dead. Are we all doomed?’”
“Then the people of Israel said to Moses, ‘Look, we are doomed. We are dead! We are ruined. Everyone who even comes close to the Tabernacle of the Lord dies. Are we all doomed to die?’”
Israel misses the point. When scripture befuddles me, I find it clarifying to focus on what God is doing, and why. Then Israel would see the consequence of sin instead of a capricious violent deity. Simple but hard. God places easy burdens on our shoulders. We create the hard ones.
Lord, open my eyes to the burdens I heap upon myself. My energy is precious and I don’t want to waste it. Keep me focused on your purpose, your work. Let me relax into your freedom, working with abandon for you.