Meribah

Numbers 20:13
“This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.”

There are times when I read the Scriptures that I find myself questioning whether or not I would do the same thing that those in the stories have done. The verse above is one of those places where I find myself wondering if I would have done what Moses did if I were him. I also find myself wondering if I would have murmured against God if I didn’t have water like the children of Israel.

Meribah is a sad place in Israel’s history because the actions of one group of people not only affected them, but it also hurt the future of another. The children of Israel murmured because they didn’t have any water, and Moses, being frustrated with them, smote the rock when God told him to speak to it. The result of Moses’ actions was that he could not go into the Promised Land.

The name “Meribah” means, quarrel or strife. They called this place Meribah because they “strove with the LORD.” My question for you is; what is your Meribah? What is the thing in your life that you are striving or fighting with the LORD about? Are you striving with God about His will for your life? Are you striving with God about a sickness that seems to have slowed you down from doing for God what you want to do? Are you striving with God about His plan for your children’s life? What is the Meribah in your life that you don’t agree with God about and it is causing you to fight Him? Whatever your Meribah may be, you are going to have to come to peace with it or it will keep you from enjoying God’s Promised Land for your life. Let me share four thoughts about your Meribah.

First, God’s plan is always the right plan. You may not agree with your Meribah, but God has ordained it in your life so that you can be a help through you to others. God’s plan has always worked out for you in the past, and it will continue to work out for you when you come to your Meribah of life.

Second, your disagreement with God always affects others. Just like Israel’s Meribah affected Moses and caused him to smite the rock, your Meribah is most likely affecting the ones nearest you and the ones you love the most. The more you strive with God about your Meribah, the more those nearest you become bitter towards God. Many second generation believers have become bitter towards God because of how their parents strove with God over something in their life. My friend, the more you strive with God over your Meribah, the more you adversely affect those who are watching you.

Third, your disagreement with God is a faithless vision. The reason you disagree with God over your Meribah is because you are walking by sight instead of by faith. If you had faith in God that He has a plan for the source of your Meribah, you would not strive with Him over it. The best way to get rid of the Meribah in your life is to walk by faith. Have faith that God is directing you to a place where His blessings will flow.

Fourth, when you can’t track God’s plan, trust Him. The best way to keep from allowing your disagreement with God to become your Meribah is to trust that He knows what you are doing. You don’t have to know where God is taking you when you trust that He knows the best path for your life. You may not be able to track the destination of the path that God has you on, but when you trust Him you understand that the path always leads to His blessings. Let me encourage you to avoid Meribah by trusting God.

Author: Allen Domelle