Have you ever considered how humble Moses and Aaron had to be for God to use them so powerfully? The people would grumble and the two of them would fall prostrate before the Lord and beg Him to forgive them and send an answer. God, in His loving faithfulness always provided instructions to solve the situation. He wasn’t always happy about it due to the grumbling attitudes of the people, but He remained trustworthy to Moses and Aaron. They followed the Lord’s commands exactly, except for one time.

“‘Take the staff, assemble the community, you and Aharon your brother, and before their eyes, tell the rock to produce its water….’ Moshe [Moses] took the staff from the presence of ADONAI [the Lord], as He had ordered him. But after Moshe and Aharon had assembled the community in front of the rock, he said to them, ‘Listen here, you rebels! Are we supposed to bring you water from this rock?’ Then Moshe raised his hand and hit the rock twice with his staff.” Water flowed out in abundance. (Numbers 20:8-11) God gave water as He said He would, however, “those who brag cannot stand” before the Lord. (Psalm 5: 6 (5))

God said to them, “Because you did not trust in me, as to cause me to be regarded as holy by the people of Isra’el, you will not bring this community into the land I have given them.” (Numbers 20:12) At that very moment, after all the two of them had gone through as partners with God, He threw out the STOP sign. Moses and Aaron–because of Moses’ moment of pride–lost their chance to enter the promised land. What will arrogant pride steal from you before you give God the credit for what He does through you?