Delayed due to spoken words of disobedience
Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” And the Lord heard this. (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.) At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “come out to the Tent of Meeting, all three of you.” So the three of them came out. Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the Tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them stepped forward…
To summarize, God rebuked them for speaking against Moses and Miriam became leprous. Then, Aaron cried out to Moses to help, and Moses cried out to God to heal her. God replied.
If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Confine her outside the camp for seven days; after that she can be brought back.” So Miriam as confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on till she was brought back.
This story greatly troubles me and humbles me at once! I am fearful (in awe) of God and His power, and I am equally fearful of emotions of the flesh such as doubt, jealousy, disbelief, and rebellion. I am also reminded with intensity of the importance of guarding the words that come out of my mouth. For what I speak will become reality, and I know that the reality of any disobedience I enact will become evident upon the very flesh that I walk within. As a result, the moving Hand of God will be delayed in my life. I do not want to delay the blessed, moving hand of God in my life.
Kristina Seymour loves to encourage and equip women through the Word and through community. She is the author of The Warrior Mom Handbook, The Warrior Mom Leadership Manual, and The Warrior Wife Handbook; they are available at Amazon.com. Kristina's Bible studies are for women who desire to live by faith in the midst of their everyday lives. She has learned that women can't survive on caffeine and animal crackers alone; women in the Word and in community are united and able to stand firm. To learn more about Kristina, please visit her website, https://kristinaseymour.com/. God loves to share His story of love and grace through us all, and Kristina believes that everyone has a story to tell.