People are so hard to work with. Being on the mission field has brought that truth sharply into focus. There are always disagreements. There are always hurts. There are always frustrations. It’s a painful business! Yet, our purpose for working with people, despite the trials it produces, was laid before me today, anew.
I was reading in Numbers 16 and came to the place where the Israelites had risen up against Moses and Aaron. They were led by three men who doubted God’s anointing on the two leaders and wished it for themselves. They caused such a stir in the community that even after God caused the earth to swallow up the instigators and their families and caused fire to consume two hundred and fifty other tribal leaders, they still grumbled against God’s chosen.
God told Moses and Aaron to stay away from the assembly of "grumblers" so he could destroy them. Yet, instead of moving away, Aaron took the incense of his offering, which God had accepted, and ran into the midst of the people.
Scripture says, "The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped."
As I read that verse, truth entered again. We, as God’s chosen, can stand between the living and the dead! There is a plague of sin that has engulfed the human race but Jesus already died so that our offering would be acceptable. Instead of moving ourselves away from this plague infested world, we need to run into the midst of the lost and offer all we have, that God might show mercy on them as he has on us.
Jesus, thank you for showing us, again, a picture of you! You saw us and instead of turning your face away, you ran into the midst of us and offered your life as a sacrifice to make atonement for our sins. You stood between us and death and because of you, we have life! Help us to follow your example and stand between death and your lost loved ones that they might all have a chance to truly live!
