When God Overhears
Have you ever been caught talking about someone behind their back? I have, and it's not a pleasant experience. There's that moment when you realize the person you've been discussing has been standing just around the corner, hearing every word. Your face flushes, your stomach drops, and you desperately wish for a convenient sinkhole to appear beneath your feet.
In Numbers 12, Miriam and Aaron experienced something far worse than being caught by another person. They were caught by God Himself.
"And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it." (Numbers 12:1-2)
Did you catch that last part? "And the Lord heard it." Those four simple words should send shivers down our spines.
What Were You Thinking?
During my devotion time this morning, I had an “aha” moment while reading another familiar passage. I’ve been making it a practice to stop and think about every word in each verse instead of just getting the gist of the verse. This has opened my eyes to many things, and this morning was no different.
Do all things without murmurings and disputings: - Philippians 2:14
In the past, when I read this verse, I summed it up like this: do everything without complaining—a command which is far more difficult to obey than it appears at first glance. However, as I broke the verse down into individual words this morning, I had to ask, What’s the difference between murmuring and disputing?
Comparing, Complaining, or Content?
No matter where you live or what stage of life you’re in, we all have to make a daily (and sometimes moment-to-moment) choice about our attitudes. Yes, as difficult as it is to believe and admit, we can—and do—choose our attitudes. We put them on just as we would a warm coat or a pair of socks. Sometimes we do it without even thinking, but we do it just the same.