”Speak to the Rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water…”  (Num. 20:8).

Moses didn´t speak to the Rock as he was told.  “He lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod…”  (v.11), but the Rock had already been struck once and for all (Ex 17:6).  The only thing to do now was to speak to the Rock.  What a gospel lesson to us!  Our Rock, Jesus Christ, has been smitten once, never ever to be repeated or to be mixed up with our efforts.  On the virtue of Calvary, redeemed by His blood, we may speak freely to Him, - be bold before Him and also be bold “before their eyes”, the eyes of the people.

There are people you just can´t speak to.  You may even find your pastor hard to speak freely to.  Or your boss, some of your church friends, your own family, the authorities and their little “tin gods” and whatever.  A woman said to me, “When I go by train I wish that the person sitting opposite me would let me alone and not speak to me!”  She wants to entrench herself behind a magazine or a crossword puzzle.  Pathetic, for it´s an unnatural thing not to speak to one another when we´re sitting that close.

What a privilege to have bold access to Him and take it all to Him!  I was once sharing my complaints with a dear brother in PA.  He listened patiently to me and then said with a winning smile, “Have you tried to take it to Christ?”  He didn´t try to be super spiritual, it was a natural thing for him to do.  His life radiated Christ.

What happens then?  The Rock will “yield its water”!  You will be refreshed and refresh others.  So speak to Him!  Take it  to Christ!  The congregation may lack water (v.2), but take it all to Christ.  You and I don´t have to be withered plants “out of dry ground”.  The water of life is “proceeding from the Throne of God and of the Lamb”  (Rev. 22:1) right where you are to quench your thirst and make you a channel for quenching the thirst of others!

March 14, 2012 – jn