Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing

I wonder if you can relate to me when I say, “I am amazed at how quickly I can forget what is truly the most important thing”?

The occasion for this most recent revelation was my 4:30am appointment with the most important Being in the universe. Contemplating the events of the previous day and the tasks that lay before me on this “never-before-seen-by-human-eyes” 24-hour canvas, I was very much aware of my need for strength and direction. I asked the Lord to show me what I needed to know as I prepared to embark on the journey of “today”.

James says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him”. (James 1:5) Today, I was about to realize, again, the truth of those words. In reading through the Bible, today I found myself in Numbers 28. The Lord told Moses to tell His people to be careful to offer the offerings of the Lord at their appointed times. (Numbers 28:1-2) In other words, “make this a priority…..this is important”. At this point, the Lord had my attention.

Verses 3-8 go on to describe the daily offerings to be offered to the Lord. What jumped-out at me was the daily part of this passage. And it wasn’t just once, but twice; morning and evening. Every day begins with the Lord and every day ends with the Lord. At the beginning of my day, the most important thing is to seek the Lord and at the end of my day, the most important thing is to seek the Lord. So, what should be the main thing of my every day? Seeking the Lord.

So many times throughout my day I can easily get distracted from the main thing? A project with a deadline looming can make me irritable and anxious and that can damage relationships. The passionate pursuit of something can cause me to ignore or run rough-shod over the people nearest and dearest to me. Financial uncertainty can cause me to act out of desperation and make foolish decisions.

At the end of the day, can I say that I have set my heart on seeking the Lord from morning to evening? At every point in my day have I sanctified the Lord as the Lord of my life? If I have, it should at the very least reflect what Jesus said was the fulfillment of the greatest commandment; “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength…..and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mk 12:30-31)

Someone has once said, “What’s most important when I stand before my Savior, should be the most important thing to me today”. In other words, “Keep the main thing the main thing”.

What's New at Cross Reference Library - Week of 07/31/19

Come see what’s new at Cross Reference Library! We’ve got lots of great things for you to check out, including these entertaining items we’ve just added:

DVDs

Among the movies we added this week were a war-themed Christmas film and additional titles in the Love Comes Softly saga, based on the book series by Janette Oke.

Love’s Abiding Joy - Following a treacherous journey west, Missie and her husband have set up a homestead where they’ve begun to raise a family. And now that a railroad line connects the states, Missie’s father is able to visit. But when the joyful reunion is interrupted by tragedy, the faith and love of this family is once again challenged in a story you and your family will never forget.

Love’s Unfolding Dream - Missie’s adopted daughter Belinda is determined to become a doctor, but despite her dedication and ability, Doc Jackson believes women should stay at home - and so does Belinda’s suitor, Drew Simpson. But with faith and hard work, Belinda begins winning the hearts and minds of everyone around her, including a wealthy dowager, who just might help make Belinda’s dreams come true in this satisfying family drama.

Love Takes Wing - Still as feisty as ever, Belinda Simpson is now a doctor in a small Missouri town where an unknown plague is spreading fear and resentment among the townspeople. One local resident thinks the illness was spread from the town orphanage and wants to see it shut down. Belinda struggles to make sense of the disease and God’s plan for the beleaguered town - but with the support of Lee Owens (the town’s handsome young blacksmith) and her best friend, Belinda learns that if she can rely on faith and love everything else may just fall into place.

Love Finds a Home - Dr. Belinda Owens is a young woman with a loving husband and a rewarding career. But when Belinda’s pregnant friend Annie comes to stay, Belinda must come to grips with her own inability to conceive. And when Annie’s meddlesome mother-in-law gives Belinda advice about her medical practice, Belinda looks to a higher power for strength, wisdom and even diplomacy in this riveting installment of the popular, uplifting films about the enduring power of love and faith.

The Christmas Card - In the midst of war in Afghanistan, Cody Cullen is touched by a lovely card sent by Faith Spelman from the small, picturesque town of Nevada City, California. As months pass, the card never leaves his side, giving him the strength to survive and setting him on a mission to find her.

Radio - For anyone who ever had a dream and everyone with the courage to stand up for what they believe, comes the real life story of Robert ‘Radio’ Kennedy. Experience Radio’s journey from a man no one understood to the coach no one could live without. Together with Head Coach Harold Jones, Radio inspired a football team to become champions and a town to open their hearts. Heroic performances from Academy Award Winner Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Ed Harris will have you laughing, crying, and cheering for the man who proved the world’s greatest victories happen in real life.

The Life and Passion of Christ - Experience the power of God’s word as the Apostle Matthew leads you on a journey through the life of Jesus the Christ. You will witness the world changing events of His life and thrill to His teachings as you walk with Him through the cities of Judea. You will behold the miracles of divine love and the power of His deep compassion. You will experience the celebration of Christ’s triumphal entry, the intimacy of the Last Supper, and the agony of His crucifixion. Your spirit will soar as His glorious resurrection is re-enacted.

The Gospel of John: Experiencing Christ As Your Life - Join Bob George in this chapter by chapter exposition of the gospel of John. Realize why Christ Himself is real life and how He personally offers hope that you can discover a meaningful life as a Christian, overcome fear with the assurance of eternal life, experience joy during adversity, and more.

Classic Christianity - Like so many believers, Bob George began his Christian life in love with the Savior only to end up years later disappointed and unfulfilled. Drawing on his own struggles and years of teaching and counseling experience, Bob cuts straight to the heart of the issues that cause so many believers to start out in excited enthusiasm, only to end up merely “going through the motions” of the Christian life. In Classic Christianity, Bob shows us the way back to the life Jesus provided for us when He set us free from the bondage of the law, teaching us to live in the newness of life led by His Spirit.

Books

We’ve also added books from the Anne of Green Gables series by L. M. Montgomery.

Anne of Windy Poplars - Anne has taken her first job away from Green Gables and soon discovered that her real work lay in dealing head-on with the proud Pringle family. But she quickly became the whole town’s champion and confidante, and would have appeared almost meddlesome - if she weren’t as spirited and lovable as ever.

Anne’s House of Dreams - Anne’s own true love Gilbert was finally a doctor and now they no longer needed to live apart. They married quite simply and began life together in their own little dream house where Anne met new neighbors, made new friends, and solved new problems. But she was still the same Anne - spirited and full of surprises.

Anne of Ingleside - Anne, now a mother of five, presided over a happy, lively home. Mrs. Doctor for some fifteen years, Anne suddenly began to worry that perhaps her adored Gilbert no longer loved her. But how could he not? After all, she may have been older, bu she was still the lively, irrepressible, irreplaceable redhead - the wonderful Anne of Green Gables, grown up.

Rainbow Valley - Anne’s wonderful, lively children found a special place all their own. Rainbow Valley was the perfect spot to play, to dream and to make the most unusual friends, like the Merediths. They were two girls and two boys who had no mother. What they did have was a minister father who was looking for a wife but so far had found nothing but heartbreak. Between the minister courting a young spinster and the escapades of the restless children, the town was bubbling with scandal. But in the end, the warmth and laughter of Anne of Green Gables taught all an unforgettable lesson of love.

Rilla of Ingleside - Anne’s children were almost grown up, except for pretty, high-spirited Rilla. Rilla wasn’t yet fifteen, and she was still looking forward to her first dance and her first kiss. But undreamed-of challenges awaited irrepressible Rilla when the happy world of Ingleside was endangered by a fearful far-off war. Rilla must join her courageous family in a dramatic struggle that would change her life and leave Rilla no longer a girl, but a proud woman.

Audiobooks

Unleash your leadership potential in the Leadership Series audiobook from New York Times best-selling author John Maxwell. Each of the eight books in this series address the most fundamental aspects of leading others, and offer straightforward advice regarding specific topics like: What are the definitions and core qualities of success? How does one help others in the mentoring process? What is the makeup of a good attitude? What are the building blocks of great relationships? How does a leader equip others? Includes Leadership 101, Relationships 101, Attitude 101, Mentoring 101, Equipping 101, Success 101, Self-Improvement 101, and Teamwork 101.

Think of the moment you last experienced God. Do you know him that closely in this moment? Truly experiencing the love of God gives us a taste of his goodness and his love for us, but often those moments are fleeting. We get distracted by life. Our awareness and understanding fade while our longing to experience him that way again increases. In Longing for God, you can begin to fill that longing by developing your capacity to receive and respond to God's love. Spiritual formation is the process through which one's inner self is opened to the work of the Holy Spirit, who forms us into the image of the Son. Here Richard J. Foster and Gayle D. Beebe, both experienced leaders in spiritual formation, introduce you to people from the past who have known God deeply. Each person helps you to grasp one of the seven primary paths to intimacy with God that have been developed throughout Christian history.

Children’s Books

Be sure to check out the wide variety of items we have available in our children’s section at Cross Reference Library, including these new books! We have reading material for all ages, from early readers and board books to teen novels, family audiobooks and a great variety of children’s movies. It’s all in the KCMI studio building at 209 East 15th Street in Scottsbluff, open Monday through Friday from 9-5pm.

Win Prizes During The Scottsbluff County Fair!

From 4-H round robins to bull riding, carnival rides and tasty foods, there’s always lots to look forward to during fair time - and this year, your fair experience might be made even better by winning some great prizes from Hope Radio! We’re very excited to be partnering with Scooter’s Coffee, Adventures in Odyssey and Warehouse Fitness to bring you this year’s prizes. To enter into any of our drawings, just stop by KCMI’s booth in the Events Center and fill out some entry slips. You can enter until the end of Saturday, August 3rd, and winners will be announced on The Coffee Break Monday morning August 5th.

Word of the Day

Tuesday through Friday (July 30th through August 2nd, 2019) we’ll be announcing a word of the day on Hope Radio 97.1FM. If you hear our word of the day and tell a KCMI staff member out at the fair, you’ll win a coupon from Scooter’s Coffee in Scottsbluff! We’ll announce the featured word multiple times throughout the day on-air, and you’ll also be able to find it right here on our website. When you see a KCMI staff member at our fair booth or out and about doing fair interviews, tell them the word of the day and they’ll give you your coupon.

Drawing 1 - Warehouse Fitness

This year we have prize packs from Warehouse Fitness in Scottsbluff to give away to three lucky winners! Each prize pack includes a unique Warehouse Fitness t-shirt (size L) and a gift certificate for one month’s membership.

Drawing 2 - Scooter’s Coffee

In addition to the Scooter’s Coffee prizes you can win with our Word of the Day, you can also enter to win a Scooter’s baseball cap! We have plenty to give away, so chances are good that you’ll get to take home one of these stylish, bright red caps.

Drawing 3 - Adventures In Odyssey

Last but not least, you can enter to win one of these fantastic Adventures in Odyssey prizes! You could win a t-shirt (size XL), a steel water bottle, or an Adventures in Odyssey CD containing multiple episodes.

New Music Monday - Lauren Daigle, Josh Baldwin, and more!

This past week we added a wide variety of music to our countdowns and overall music rotation, but by far the biggest addition was Lauren Daigle’s Rescue. This latest single is sure to be another success in a string of radio hits from Lauren Daigle’s latest album Look Up Child, which recently set the record for most weeks at #1 on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart. Her record 39 weeks at #1 dethroned Switchfoot’s album The Beautiful Letdown, which stayed atop the chart for 38 weeks in 2004-2005. With over 900,000 albums sold, Look Up Child is approaching platinum certification.

New to our rotation

Rescue - Lauren Daigle

“I will send out an army to find you
In the middle of the darkest night
It's true, I will rescue you
I will never stop marching to reach you
In the middle of the hardest fight
It's true, I will rescue you”

Let The Redeemed - Josh Baldwin

“So let the redeemed of the Lord say so
Sing of His promises ever more
Pour out your thankfulness, let it overflow
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so”

The 180remix Countdown

Up Again - Dan Bremnes

“Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win
You gotta get up, up again
Keep holding on, it's not the end
You gotta get up, up again”

Thank The Lord - Mission ft. V. Rose

“Wake up in the morning, gotta thank the Lord
Oh you still breathing? Gotta thank the Lord
Hands in the sky, gotta thank the Lord
Even when it's bad, imma thank the Lord”

The Stronghold

All It Takes - DAV ft. Jon the Revalaytor

“My life was beaten and battered with no meaning
Barely breathing, falling to pieces
Stepped in the ring to face the hate
That’s when I heard a voice say
You will know my name
One life, one love, that’s all I really needed
One life, one love, thank you Jesus”

Joyful Suffering

In one of my recent morning quiet times I found my mind gravitating toward James’ words, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing.” (James 1:2-4) No sooner did those words come to mind when the words of Paul in Romans 8 started echoing in my ears. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God; to them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow; He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (vv 28-29)

What immediately preceded these words coming to mind was an overwhelming sense of weariness and self pity. Fatigued by the trials I was experiencing in my life, I was feeling sorry for myself and asking God to fix things. These struggles have been going on for quite some time and I was wondering why God wasn’t doing something about it. In exasperation, I have been known to pour out my complaint to the Lord, “God, you can fix this, so why aren’t you?!”

As I considered the message of those verses in my mind - placed there, I believe, by the Lord Himself, it occurred to me that the Lord was trying to show me that “I” was the one who needed “fixing”. It wasn’t the circumstances, it wasn’t other people, it was “me” - God was wanting to fix me. By my response to the circumstances I was finding myself in, it was clear that I was not acting like my savior Jesus. It had become all to easy to play the part of the victim and fail to see how God was trying to show me an area of my life He wanted to bring into conformity with His Son.

I believe, just like those verses declare, that is what God wants to do in all the trials we face. When the trials come, I believe the Lord would have me say, “Thank you, Lord for this trial because I know that, by it, you intend to show me an area of deficiency in my character. Help me not to resist your working in my life, but to yield to it and be shaped more into the image of Jesus.” I’ve heard others say God is not so much interested in our happiness as He is in our holiness; I think I have to agree with that statement.

So, from this day forward, I want to be one of those who considers suffering to be joyful. Not that the suffering itself is joyful, but what God is producing in my life through the suffering is more precious than gold. I hope you will choose to join me.

What's New at Cross Reference Library - Week of 07/25/19

We’ve got a great new batch of books for you to check out at Cross Reference Library! Stop by the KCMI studio building at 209 East 15th Street in Scottsbluff and take a look at some the thousands of books, audiobooks and DVDs that could brighten your day.

The Inn at Eagle Hill, a three book collection by Suzanne Woods Fisher, includes The Letters, The Calling, and The Revealing. When widow Rose Schrock turns her Amish farmhouse into a bed and breakfast, she expects there might be some hiccups. What she doesn’t expect is that the guests at the Inn at Eagle Hill will spill their problems into her life and into her heart. Love, Rose discovers, can bloom in the most unexpected ways.

Fasting by Jentezen Franklin explains how you can access the power of Biblical fasting and transform your life! Experience for yourself the deeper, stronger relationship with God that only comes through prayer and fasting. Once you’ve experienced even a glimpse of this and the countless rewards and blessings that follow, it changes your entire perspective.

Are you Rapture ready? Considering the times in which we live, there can be no question of greater significance. In Are You Rapture Ready?, authors Todd Strandberg and Terry James have carefully scrutinized the Scriptures as well as sifted through the latest trends and philosophies to bring you a compelling and thorough examination of this fascinating and controversial biblical theme.

Where does all the time go? If you’ve been asking yourself this lately, 500+ Time Saving Hints for Women by bestselling author Emilie Barnes provides a way of escape for you with proven, sanity-saving tips. Five hundred fabulous ideas - and then some - will give you the tools to declutter all areas of your home and office, begin each day with a head start, clean efficiently and effectively, and more!

Family Patterns, a Patchwork Mysteries novel - Sarah Hart couldn’t be happier. Her son Jason is moving home to Maple Hill with his wife and twin daughters, and he’s bought the Victorian house that once belonged to Sarah’s grandfather Noah Drayton. Noah’s life was cloaked in mystery: his wife Molly disappeared without a trace a century ago. Noah was always the prime suspect, and though Sarah knows her grandfather was innocent, no one ever learned the truth. But when Sarah’s granddaughters uncover a forgotten passageway in their old house, they also find an antique quilt with a hidden message - and the only clue to the disappearance of Molly Drayton.

Devil on the Deck by Lois Hoadley Dick is a rugged, rollicking adventure about God’s amazing grace. John Newton, an able bodied seaman, knew well the life on the high seas – a life far removed from culture, civilization, and decency. It was a world where men were tough, and often crude and vile – where religion was only a formal prayer read by the captain on Sunday and where the Christian ideal was scorned. Yet this was where God’s merciful hand was at work in a sinful young man’s life.

In A Stranger for Christmas by Carol Lynn Pearson, two old ladies face a lonely Christmas in a California nursing home. One of them still believes in the goodness of people, and now she intends to prove it with a phone call to her children. As these two women put the true meaning of Christmas to the test, something completely unexpected happens. It may change their lives forever… just as it may change yours.

Author Bill Crowder invites you to join him in tracing Christ’s final hours walking with Him on The Path of His Passion, and come to a greater appreciation for the journey He took for you. As the author draws out the valuable lessons Christ taught along the way, he will encourage you to be more determined than ever to embrace the cross that Christ embraced for you.

Have the events of the Savior’s passion become overly familiar to you? See the death and resurrection of Christ through the eyes of those who were there! You can get a fresh perspective on the Easter story by reading Windows on Easter by Bill Crowder and looking through the “windows” of some of the people who were there: Malchus, Judas Iscariot, the centurion, Joseph of Arimathea, the women disciples, and the disciples on the Emmaus Road. As you see what these witnesses saw and feel what they felt, you will learn the life-transforming lessons that they learned.

I Am A Church Member by Thom S. Rainer seeks to remedy the outbreak of inactive or barely committed church members. It addresses - without apology - what is expected of those who join a body of believers. When a person's attitude is consistently biblical and healthy, matters of giving, serving, and so forth will fall into place more naturally and Rainer's practical work unpacks what that should look like.

Food & Faith, a spiritual growth mission study by Wendy Whiteside, is about how faith is nurtured, strengthened, and enhanced by food. It is also about all the ways food touches our lives. This study explores the ways food creates community, offers hospitality to strangers, and expands one’s concept of “neighbor”. The rituals of feasting and fasting remind us of our need for God. Above all Holy Communion, our most profound sacrament, is food.

Are you parenting like a professional? You can apply the same techniques of efficiency, intention, and purpose that you’ve used in other careers to your most important position in life – motherhood. Steady Days by Jamie C. Martin takes you through the process of becoming a professional mother: one who is organized and excited to spend time with your young children. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by a lack of direction in your parenting, this book containing 40 short, manageable chapters can help.

500+ Time Saving Hints for Every Woman by Emile Barnes – So nice we accidentally featured it twice! See above.

Imagine a world where people loved each other. What would it look like? How would people behave towards one another? In Ten: Living the Ten Commandments in the 21st Century, J. John explores an ancient code of behavior that provides a window on life as it should be – life as it could be – where respect for others and for God determines everything we do. The name that code normally goes by is the Ten Commandments, but be prepared for a few surprises.

Parenting Beyond Your Capacity by Reggie Joiner and Carey Nieuwhof engages your family in a bigger story, a story that involves more than just your family – one that involves other influences who are on a journey to discover why a relationship with God really matters. This isn’t a self-help book, it’s a get-help book. It’s about how you can increase your parenting capacity by connecting with available resources, some of which you know about and some you might not.

Ron L. Deal explodes the myth of the blended family in The Smart Step-Family as he provides practical, realistic solutions to the issues that step-families face. He helps remarried and soon-to-be married couples recognize unique personality traits in each family member, solve everyday puzzles of step-parent/step-child relationships, honor families of origin while developing new traditions, and more!

Help your children be smart with their smarts! At one time or another, most kids will ask – or secretly wonder – am I smart? But the better question is How Am I Smart? Dr. Kathy Koch’s down-to-earth and practical guide to the theory of multiple intelligences helps parents and teachers discern and develop their children’s unique wiring.

The Sticky Faith Guide for Your Family by Dr. Kara E. Powell arises from the innovative, research-based and extensively field-tested project known as Sticky Faith, borne out of the Fuller Youth Institute’s seven years of research with more than 500 young people, 150 churches, and 50 families. With more than 100 ideas from other parents that you can try today, this positive and practical book will empower you and give you hope with proven tools and the inspiration you need to build a faith that sticks in your children and teenagers.

Build up your money muscles with America’s favorite finance coach Dave Ramsey and his book Total Money Makeover! By now you’ve heard all the nutty get-rich-quick schemes and the fiscal diet fads that leave you with a lot of kooky ideas but not a penny in your pocket. If you’re sick and tired of false promises, the Total Money Makeover is the simplest, most straight-forward game plan for completely making over your money habits. And it’s based on results, not pie-in-the-sky fantasies. You’ll be exercising your financial strength every day and quickly freeing yourself of worry, stress, and debt – and that’s a beautiful feeling.

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These are just some of the great new items we’re adding to the library! Check back next week for DVD’s, kids items, and more books you can find at Cross Reference Library, 209 East 15th Street in Scottsbluff, NE!

New Music Monday - Week of 07.22.19

Thanks for checking out the first ever New Music Monday! Every week we want to let you know about new music we’ve just added here on Hope Radio - some of these are new songs you’ll hear throughout the week, while others might be songs that we just added to one of our diverse group of countdowns on Fridays and Saturdays. Here’s what’s new to 97.1FM:

New to Our Rotation

I Still Believe

(Faith Always)

- Thrive Worship

“I still believe You are greater
I still believe You're in control
I still believe You're my healer
Jesus, You're faithful always”

The 180remix Countdown

Last Saturday night was full of new music! We saw three new songs added to the 180remix Countdown, although the first two had previously debuted on other countdowns:

Every Little Thing

- Hillsong Young & Free ft. Andy Mineo

“Every little thing is gonna be alright
Every little thing is gonna be just fine
Whether I can see it now
I know You will work it out for good
Every little thing, everything will be alright”

Dead Man Walking

- Jeremy Camp

“I was a dead man walking
Until I was a man walking with You
I was a blind man falling
'Til I felt the life You're calling me to
Pulling me out of the darkness and
Pulling me out of the lies
Putting the beat in my heart again
I was a dead man walking
Until You loved this dead man walking back to life”

Even Louder

- Steven Malcolm ft. Natalie Grant

“Even if the drum stops beating
My soul will keep on singing
Even louder, even louder
Even when my eyes can't see it
I will sing 'til I believe it
Even louder, even louder”

The Stronghold

New music on KCMI’s Christian rock countdown is coming from Relentless Flood!

Set Me Free

- Relentless Flood

“So I fall to my knees
Crying Lord won’t you please
Set me free, set me free
God I give You all of me
Take this heart and make it clean
Set me free, set me free”

Welcome to Hope Radio's New Blog!

Thank you for checking out KCMI’s new blog, one of the many exciting changes that have come to kcmifm.com! We hope you like our newly redesigned website and make the most of all of its great new features. Although there’s lots to see on our new site, I’m personally most excited about Hope Radio’s new blog - in the upcoming weeks, you’ll be able to come to this page to learn more about new music we’ve added to our rotation, the latest info on your favorite Hope Radio artists, and what’s new in Cross Reference Library! On top of that, you’ll also get to hear KCMI staff members share about the ministry and what’s on their heart. We hope you’ll check back regularly for new updates; another easy way to keep up with the blog is via our Facebook page, where we’ll be sharing new blog posts as soon as they come out. Thank you for listening to and supporting 97.1FM Hope Radio!

In the Company of Grumblers

Think back to a time you found yourself in the presence of a grumbler, a complainer. Maybe it was a single individual or a group of people. Did you feel the tug to join in with your own complaints?

I have to feel sorry for Moses. Here was a man who was given a job from the Lord that he, frankly, did not want. You remember how the Lord called him to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let God’s people go. The people Moses led out of Egypt were a grumbling, complaining lot. In Numbers chapter 20, it appears that Moses was fed up with it. “The people contended with Moses and spoke, saying: ……… ‘Why have you brought up the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our animals should die here?’” (verses 3-4)

Moses was, continually, the recipient of the peoples’ grumblings. On one occasion his response was, “Who am I that you grumble against me? Your grumblings aren’t against me, but against God.” (My paraphrase) Moses was simply doing what God told him to do and the people were not pleased with it.

In response to the grumblers in Numbers chapter 20, the Lord tells Moses to take his rod and his brother Aaron and speak to the rock and it would bring forth water for the people to drink. So, Moses and Aaron gathered the people together at the rock and Moses said, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” and then Moses struck the rock twice. The Lord was displeased with Moses because he did not believe the Lord or treat Him as holy before the people (verse 12).

Nothing in Moses’ words to the people or his actions pointed them to the Lord as the one who would provide the water they craved. What if he had responded like this, “Why are you grumbling at me? Who am I? Your grumblings aren’t against me, but against God. But that you may know that the Lord is your provider and that your grumblings have come up to His ears and that your sins are great in His eyes”…..and then Moses turns to the rock and says, “Bring forth water.”

But alas, Moses chose to respond with his own grumbling. As I pondered that, I wondered, “Do I do that?” In 1 Corinthians chapter 10, we’re told that the things we read about the Israelites in God’s Word were written down for our instruction (verse 6) and that we should not be complainers as they were (verse 10).

And now I return to the question I asked at the beginning, “Do I join in the grumblings of others or do I respond in a way that brings honor to the Lord and treats Him as His holiness deserves?” Many of us will have opportunities, maybe even today, to respond differently and point others to the Lord. Will you seize that opportunity? Will I?

Lord, help us to resist the temptation to join with the grumblers and, instead, point others to you. In Jesus name, Amen.