S) "8 Now on the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds."
Numbers 17:8 (NASB)
O) Another rebellion against God's elected leadership had just been quelled, and God brought forth a leader from every tribe to express His clear selection of Aaron (and the Levites) as His holy priests. After each leader wrote their names on a rods, God had them placed inside the tabernacle over night. In verse 5, God told the people that the rod of His chosen would "sprout" in the morning. So, when we read verse 8, we see a few things. First, we see God's specificity in His choosing. He makes no mistakes when He chooses to raise up a leader. Second, we see the perfection of God's timing. God told them it would happen the next day, and so it did. Last, and this is what really grabbed me from this story, we see the abundance of God on display. He told them that the chosen rod would "sprout," and indeed it sprouted, and put forth buds, and produce blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds!
A) This is the sort of unexpected, added grace that I love to show to my own children. It is such a blessing to exceed their expectation for things they want, and that is the same way God treats His children. Just as I don't do this every single time, neither does my Father God. I should be careful not to expect the unexpected, so that I am not feeling entitled to more than what God has promised. However, I should take joy in the simple knowledge that God loves to bless. He is able to do more than I could ever expect (see Ephesians 3:20-21). So, I ask in humble prayer, trusting that He will do what He promises, and joyfully wondering if He may do even more.
P) Father, Your grace and mercy are such a treasure to me. Help me to share that hope and peace with others, and also to express examples of grace and mercy, especially to my children. Please forgive me when I am not as gracious or merciful as I should be. Keep me humbled by what I have received, to reflect Your grace and mercy to others. Thank You for taking care of my needs, Father God. I am never abandoned or isolated in my needs. You have surrounded me with the support of other people, and in You I have every need met. Recently, it seems like financial struggles are unending. Please give me more discipline with the way I am stewarding Your providence. Please increase my trust and faith in who You are. Please provide more solutions, especially to eliminate some of the debts I have acquired. I know that can be a long process, so again, help me be disciplined and also to be patient. Let me keep my eyes fixed on the eternal, not the temporal. You have always been so good to me, Lord, and there is no reason to think that is going to change. Be glorified in every part of my life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
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