Loving God of blessings profound, rain down Your grace and peace upon this dear reader; in Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
"O, what a foretaste of Glory divine!" Had this hymn be around during Moses' day, this would have been sung during what was happening in this passage. It comes from Numbers, chapter 21: 4 They set out from Mount Hor along the Red Sea Road, a detour around the land of Edom. The people became irritable and cross as they traveled. 5 They spoke out against God and Moses: "Why did you drag us out of Egypt to die in this godforsaken country? No decent food; no water - we can't stomach this stuff any longer." 6 So God sent poisonous snakes among the people; they bit them and many in Israel died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke out against God and you. Pray to God; ask him to take these snakes from us." Moses prayed for the people. 8 God said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it on a flagpole: Whoever is bitten and looks at it will live." 9 So Moses made a snake of fiery copper and put it on top of a flagpole. Anyone bitten by a snake who then looked at the copper snake lived. (The Message)
If every time a church member grumbled against God or the pastor and a snake infestation came to deal with it, churches might be empty on Sunday. Or they might be full once again! The ancient writer is describing a scene from the forty years in the wilderness. It was not an easy journey, it was a difficult one. What they did not realize was that God was using that time to form a people to enter into the promised land. After four hundred years of asking God for their freedom, they now had it, but did not like the form it came in. They hated their new diet and they hated the fact that water was scarse in the desert. They could not get used to seeing the power of God at work in their new lives. Their journey became a challenge for Moses and those around him and in this passage they encounter snakes and the writer gives God the credit for handling this problem in this unique way. But God's compassion is also demonstrated in that God offers a miraculous cure for snake bite and that was to look upon a bronze snake held up on a pole. It was a foretaste of that which would happen on Good Friday. Those who look upon the cross of Christ with faith receive new life, free from sin because of the price paid on that tree.
Our Lenten journey is about our new lives in Christ and it is sometimes difficult for some, yet it is a time to be formed into the people of God entering the promised land of resurrection and life eternal as celebrated on Easter. Use this time to form you into a better, deeper person. Look upon Jesus and receive all that you need!
PRAYER: Loving God, as I and this dear reader pray this prayer, form us into Your people. Help us to bring hope and peace to the lives of those around us. Forgive us the time we grumble and help us have patience with those who don't know better. In Christ Jesus we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
