284 - Just what is required

Wording of this Handout:

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Just what is required.

Imagine a Mum calls to her boy and says "Please go into you bedroom and tidy you clothes."

The boy goes into his bedroom and tides his clothes, then he makes his bed, vacuums the floor, strips the wallpaper, washes the ceiling, replaces all the wiring, sand papers and paints his wardrobe, and cleans the windows. He is exhausted, and he staggers out to tell his mum what he has done.

"Well son" she says, "I'm not pleased! All I wanted you to do was tidy your clothes, and now I have to get the wall paper and the electrician! That will cost me a lot of money, and you won't be able to use your room for a week!"

In a similar way, when God tells us to do something, that is all we have to do. God is not impressed if we slave away for days or weeks, doing something which we think is great idea for God, but which He never asked for. The rule is, "Do the absolute minimum" - no more, no less. Just what we are told to do.

Moses and Aaron missed out on entering the promised land because they did too much - God told Moses to speak to the rock, but he struck it instead.

But Mum, you told me to tell you when it boiled over three hours ago!

The Bible says: "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, "Take the rod, and gather the people together, you, and Aaron your brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes." Numbers 20:7 (New King James version)