Tuesday, April 8, 2025
1 “Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. 2 All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, ‘Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” 4 So they said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.”
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces in the presence of all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel. 6 Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey. 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” // Numbers 14:1-9
God lovingly led Israel out of slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land (Israel). After God protected them, provided for them, and led them for several months, they arrived at the edge of Canaan. Moses sent 12 spies to explore and report on this new land God was giving them. 10 spies could not rejoice in all the wonders and bounty in the land because their eyes were fixed on the giants who lived there. However, Joshua and Caleb fixed their focus on God and how God could easily lead them into this lush new territory. Because the 10 doomsday spies were more convincing, the Israelites spent an additional 40 years wandering around in the wilderness. God allowed that generation to die off before He led the next generation into the land.
We face the same struggle every day as Israel did. It is so easy for us to focus on what cannot be done instead of focusing on all that God CAN do. Our God parted the Red Sea, dropped manna from the sky to feed a few million Israelites, and softened hard-hearted Saul, the chief persecutor of the New Testament church, and turned him into one of the greatest Christians in history! Once we discover God’s will for our lives, we can know with absolute certainty that He has the power to make it happen! Some of His will is easy to know. He wants us to place our faith in Him as our Savior, He wants us to live lives dedicated to His ways and separated from the sinful ways of the world, He wants us to forgive others, He wants us to show love to others, and more. Beyond the clear teaching of His will in the Bible, we prayerfully apply His Word to the direction we seek for current-day decisions, both big and small. Who should we marry? Where should we live? Where should you work? Which church should you join? It is a joyful journey that draws us closer and closer to our Lord as we seek Him!
- Pray and thank God that he has lovingly led you all the days you have known Him.
- Thank God that He is bigger than any of the things in life that overwhelm us.
- Ask God to help you focus on what He CAN do rather than the “giants in the land.”
- Ask God to give our church great faith to believe He can do anything He decides to do.
- Ask God to help us “cross into” whatever He reveals to us as our next steps of faith.