Let it be said that I trust God's character, as revealed through the Bible. But I have to admit: I have a bit of a hard time with the way Moses was treated at Meribah.

Why did God react so strongly to Moses striking instead of speaking to the rock? Why was that particular incident such a big deal? Couldn't Moses have simply misunderstood the assignment? After all, wasn't it God who put the staff in Moses' hands to begin with that fateful day? What if Moses was just having a bad day? And even if it was willful disobedience, why would that one little act cancel out all the great faith-filled things that characterized the rest of Moses' life? And if Moses was going about things the wrong way at Meribah (regardless of the reasons), why didn't God just withhold the water so Moses could go back to his original instructions and get it right? Why did this become the rope that was used to hang Israel's great leader and deliverer? I really don't get it.

As I read through the story of Moses at Meribah, my primary emotional response is one of anger. Am I going to get busted on some sort of technicality like this, too? And if so, what's the point of even trying to be a good leader? I already know that I have bad days -- even bad weeks, and bad months -- in the course of walking the path of faith, following God as closely as possible. So I have to wonder: Should I even step out across the mine-field, if I know that my chances of being dismembered are so great?

Why would God give us the story of Moses at Meribah? What am I supposed to do with that?!?!