How long is a moment? You often hear, “Give me a moment,” or “Just a moment,” from people but how long is that moment of time? In medieval times, and hour was 40 moments long, so each moment was about 90 seconds. That is still the standard agreed upon today from what I read.

What can happen in a moment? There are many wonderful things: a man drops to his knee and proposes, an award is given, a word of encouragement can be given, a kind deed makes you realize someone cares, and the list goes one. 

The flip side is the negative things that can happen: a hurtful conversation makes you doubt yourself, a spouse shouts insults and storms out leaving a devastated family in the wake, a car swerves in front of you on the road causing a crash that changes your life, a person can slip and fall, and on it goes.

Why am I fascinated with the topic of moments? In Exodus 33:5, God tells Moses he won’t be among the Israelites while they travel because, “You are a stiff-necked people. I could come up in your midst in one moment and consume you.”

In one moment, God could consume all the Israelites. The word moment in the Hebrew conveys the meaning of “a wink of the eyes” or an “instant.” It is a scary thought for that many people to cease to exist in the wink of an eye.

In Numbers 16, Korah, and some other men, come against Moses and Aaron. Twice, (verses 21 and 45) God tells Moses and Aaron to get out of the way and he will consume all the people in a moment. Over a million people would be wiped out. 

After the first time in Num. 16:21, Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before God and interceded on behalf of the people. They begged God not to wipe out everyone for the sin of one man. God gave instructions for the next day so the people would be separated from those who did wrong, but when the day arrived all the people murmured against Moses and Aaron. Once again, God said he would wipe them out in a moment and He sent a plague.

How were they saved? Moses and Aaron interceded again. Moses told Aaron to take a censor and go among the people to stop the plague. In the moment it took for Aaron to grab the censor and stand between the living and the dead, almost 15,000 people died. In a moment.

How does this relate to us? I don’t know about you, but I have to be careful about my murmuring and complaining. I am no better than those Israelites. If something goes wrong, I tend to complain, even though I’ve determined never to do so again. If someone does something to hurt me, or hurt a member of my family, if a car cuts me off in traffic, if something in the house breaks down, if I get sick at an inconvenient time (is there a convenient time?). There are many more examples, but you get the point.

Why haven’t I been consumed? Why hasn’t God wiped me out in a moment? Just as Moses and Aaron interceded for the Israelites, I have an intercessor Who is always there for me. He sees my heart and knows why I do what I do. He knows I will ask forgiveness and takes the time to speak on my behalf. 

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” I Timothy 2:5 (NKJV)

When I say something I shouldn’t, when I think a nasty thought, when I do anything wrong, no matter what it is, Jesus is there to intercede. Like those Israelites, I might deserve to be “consumed in a moment” but before that moment elapses, Jesus is there to speak up for me. His love is my shield. A sweet covering for those moments when I murmur my discontent. I am so thankful for Him.