And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. — Numbers 20:11-12
I remember so many times as a child that I heard my parents say “listen to me.” I was not the most attentive child and sometimes it was hard to get me to calm down enough to listen to their guidance. Guidance that would have no doubt saved me a lot of punishment and heartache. Now, as a father, I find myself saying the same words to my son as I try to help him learn and grow.
Listening is one of the most challenging things to do in life. It involves laying down what you would like to do or say and submitting that moment in time to someone else. After you have heard, there’s also the aspect of heeding or doing what they say when it is guidance and instruction. That’s where the story with Moses picks up.
God had specifically told Moses that he should speak to the rock in Numbers 20 and that water would flow from the rock. The people were thirsty and tired of not having water and no doubt their frustration was weighing on Moses. Instead of speaking to the rock as God commanded, Moses smote the rock. God still provided, just like He said He would, but it did not come without a cost.
God told Moses that because he did not listen and do what God said, he would not take the children of Israel into the promised land. Later on in Deuteronomy, you find that Moses indeed did not take the children into the promised land. In Chapter 32, Moses was called up to a mountain where he was able to see the promised land, but he never got to experience it because he did not listen to what God had commanded.
Just as a child that could be saved from bad decisions and heartache, the same can be said for a Christian that not only listens to God but also does the things that God commands. I believe that so many times God wants us to experience so many more things in life, but that our own disobedience prevents us from seeing and experiencing what He wants. It is important to not just listen and hear God, but to follow Him in every aspect of our lives.