"ஆதவன்" தியானம் - 1993
"AATHAVAN"
Meditation - 1993
July 23, Thursday 2026
"...and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness." (1 Corinthians 10:4, 5)
God led the people of Israel toward Canaan through Moses. He sustained them in the wilderness by providing food and water. When the people cried out to Moses due to thirst, Moses brought their grievance before God. God then provided water through Moses from a rock for them to drink. Paul states that the One who accompanied the people of Israel, the One who gave them water from the rock, and the rock itself, was Christ.
However, today's meditation verse says, "Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness." Yes, dearly beloved, this has been written as a warning for us today. It means that we may be people who know Christ today and lead a spiritual life with Him. Yet, Paul warns that if the sin of covetousness/evil desire resides within us, we will perish just like those people of Israel.
The final commandment of the Ten Commandments is "You shall not covet." However, many of us do not consider this a major sin. Covetousness refers to the greed for material things. Furthermore, longing for the objects and possessions that belong to others is covetousness. It is written:
"You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbour." (Exodus 20:17)
Even though Christ accompanied the people of Israel and gave them water to drink and manna to eat, they coveted meat and sought after it. Although God gave them the meat they craved, He destroyed them in the wilderness. We read:
"While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very severe plague. So, the name of that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had been greedy." (Numbers 11:33, 34)
Yes, dearly beloved, Paul says, "Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved." (1 Corinthians 10:6). We may know Christ today, but if we are unable to give up the greed of covetousness, we have no right to call ourselves spiritual people.
Overcoming covetousness is the victory of a spiritual life. That is why the Apostle James warns us, saying:
"But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death." (James 1:14, 15)
Just as the people of Israel drank the water provided by Christ—the spiritual rock that followed them—and yet God was not well-pleased with most of them, God will not be well-pleased with us either if covetousness remains in us, despite our claims of believing in Christ. Therefore, let us first plead with God for the strength to overcome this sin.
✍️ Bro. M. Geo Prakash




