I Will Come Down

Reading: Numbers 10-11; Psalm 27; Mark 1 I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone. (Numbers 11:17 NLT) The people complained to God about the discomforts and inconvenience of wilderness travel and living. Moses complained to God about the unfairness of his heavy load of work and seemingly impossible responsibility of leading the unruly and discontented people. God was ready to help! God told him to summon seventy of the key leaders and influencers (elders) of Israel to the Tabernacle. God came down and met with them, spoke to them, and put his Spirit upon them as he had put his Spirit upon Moses. Now they could help him carry the burden of caring for the people. Nearly a year earlier (See Exodus 18), Moses had taken his father-in-law’s advice and appointed judges to assist him in dealing with issues and conflicts among the people. But even with their help, Moses still felt discouraged, frustrated, and alone.

Moses had used all the knowledge, skill, and wisdom available to him. He had put good organizational structure in place, he had enlisted the wilderness travel skills of his brother-in-law Hobab, and he was working as hard as he could. When he cried out to God in frustration, God came down and spoke and imparted his Spirit so that others could not only help with the work, but help with the burden of the people’s needs. Sometimes the solution to circumstances and situations and seemingly insurmountable problems is spiritual – it requires that God come down and do something! I’m just sayin’, friends! If the situation doesn’t respond to you and me doing the best of everything we know to do, maybe what we need is for God to come down and speak loudly and put more of his Spirit on us! Let’s ask him! Prayer: Father, For my friends and me…Please come down and speak to us and give us more of your Spirit! The things we face are too much for our own knowledge and wisdom and strength. We need you! We put our trust in you and you alone. Amen!