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Eyes Up - part 10 - Self Control

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“...where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord....
Psalm 121:1-2 NIV

Self-control is hard isn’t it?

I often find myself self-control problems have a lot to do with my temper. I would like to say that I have gotten better with matter, but that would be a lie. When I think about this I am often reminded of Moses and one of his bouts with anger.

In the book of Numbers, we once again see Israel has their complaining shoes on again and they are stuck in the past - again. They just can’t seem to get their head out of Egypt.

“Why did you bring the Lord’s community into this wilderness, that we and our livestock should die here? Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!” - Numbers 20:4-5 NIV

So Moses not knowing what to do any more with these people (this is probably his hands up moment) goes to God for some direction. Good choice. This is what God told him:

“The Lord said to Moses; ‘Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.’ -Numbers 20:7-8 NIV

So we see that Moses had gone to God and received his instruction. But somewhere in between his meeting with Almighty God and his meeting with the people of Israel - Moses had gotten all worked up again. It is possible to that while he was waiting for the people to gather fully, he was hearing grumbles from the people and started of the meeting with...

“Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” - Numbers 20:10b NIV

“Listen, you rebels” that probably isn’t the best way to start a meeting. But he did and because he was so angry with them over the whole situation, Moses...

“raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.” - Numbers 20:11 NIV

Moses got water to come out of a rock! This event had to have amazed the people, but I didn’t amaze God. Moses lost self-control and went against what God had said and because of this Moses lost the Promised Land (Numbers 20:12).

I am also reminded of another story in the Bible where anger played a part in someone’s downfall. In the book of Genesis, we are shown the first murder... ever. It’s root - anger.

Cain and Abel has brought sacrifices to God. God loved Abel’s offering and rejected Cain’s. It is said that Abel’s heart was behind his offering and Cain was just doing it out of obligation. This mad Cain very angry and God knew what was going on in the mind of His creation Cain. God warned Cain that he must get his attitude in check because “sin was crouching at his door” and that he “must rule over it.” But Cain let his anger get the best of him. He took his brother out into a field and killed him. Cain was made a fugitive, but protected by God. (Genesis 4)

Self- control is hard. For years I heard it from my mother “where’s your self-control” and “have some self-control or “control yourself. But if we listen closely we can hear the same phrases from God.

 God wants us to control ourselves. God wants us to have our EYES UP!

 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law" - Galatians 5:22-23
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