Not a "little thing"

"You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock." (Numbers 20:8 NLT)

I don't know about you, but sometimes I have difficulty remembering details.  I tend to like to look at the "big picture" more, so when somebody gives me all the details I will listen, but I would much rather commit them to a file cabinet or computer system for later retrieval in case I need it later.  Other than that, I tend to throw the details overboard.

I learned long ago, however, that this kind of approach doesn't work well with God.  God is into details.  He cares enough about the details to make sure atoms hold together with the right number of protons, neutrons, and electrons for each chemical element on the periodic table.  Details are important to God, so they should be important to me.

Moses didn't pay attention to the details this time.  Maybe hey didn't think they were important.  Maybe he was just struggling with his anger problem again.  The passage above details what God told Moses to do.  This next passage tells you what Moses actually did.

So Moses did as he was told. He took the staff from the place where it was kept before the LORD. Then he and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock. "Listen, you rebels!" he shouted. "Must we bring you water from this rock?" Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out. So the entire community and their livestock drank their fill. (Numbers 20:9-11 NLT)

Did you see what he did wrong?  Did you notice the detail that was different between the command and the execution of the plan?  Moses didn't speak to the rock.  He hit it...twice.  Go ahead.  Check the facts again.  It looks like such a little thing, but it wasn't a little thing to God.  When God is specific about the details of His commands, He has a reason for those details.  Our responsibility is to remember and follow every detail.  Otherwise, we may end up in a situation like Moses.

But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust Me enough to demonstrate My holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!" (Numbers 20:12 NLT)

"You won't listen to me," God said. "No promised land for you."

Well, that's more of a paraphrase.  But It's close enough...
...without getting into all the details. ;)