Numbers 20:13
“These were the Waters of Meribah (Bickering) where the People of Israel bickered with GOD, and he revealed himself as holy.”
“This place was known as the waters of Meribah (which means “arguing”) because there the people of Israel argued with the Lord, and there he demonstrated his holiness among them.”
God has led the people to a place void of water. Here they complain against Moses. Interestingly, God is not mentioned in their rant. God provides relief. He tells Moses to speak water from a rock. Moses is angry and strikes the rock instead. As a result, he and Aaron are barred from entering the promised land. In their anger they did not respect God’s holiness. Meribah carried bad memories for everyone. What Christian has not been in such a place; following God, ending up in the wilderness, in a mess of some kind and angry? The lesson is clear, trust God even when life seems to be falling apart. It wasn’t so easy for these Israelites. They had just begun learning about this peculiar God of theirs.
Moses gives us a different lesson. He was angry with Israel and with God. His anger was not condemned, but the way he expressed it was. Humility before God allows us to unload our anger on him. Pridefulness leads to anger kept private and it seethes with destruction. Even Moses, the humblest man ever, was human.
Lord, help me to trust you. Help me in my anger. Create humility within me Please.