Numbers 13, 14
The land of milk and honey that had been promised them was before them. A single cluster of grapes so large it had to be hung on a pole between two men to be carried. But, the Israelites shrunk back in fear of the people there. They would not possess it as the Lord commanded them to. They fear the people of the land, too much. They did not trust the Lord. They did not follow Him. For their lack of trust in God the promise of the land was taken away from them and given only to their children and those who believed - those two men - Caleb and Joshua - who had been willing to enter Canaan as the Lord directed. For their lack of trust in God and their fear of the people of Canaan, they were destined to wander in the wilderness for forty years and to die without entering the promised land.
How often does fear and not trust in the Lord direct our comings and goings? How often is it that fear regulates what we do and what we leave undone? God had promised us the "promised land", the kingdom of God, through Jesus Christ. That kingdom broke into this world - the gates were flung wide open - at the death of our Lord, for us. Yet, have we entered into that kingdom, to live in God's presence, to allow Him to guide us every inch of our way, our days? No, I think not. For whatever reason we shrink back from living life in that kingdom, in God's presence, to it's fullest. We shrink back and cling to the things, the ways of the world. We keep following the same old paths, wandering around aimlessly, in fear. I wonder sometimes, if it is maybe because we fear a possible face to face with the Lord. If that were to happen, what would He say to us? Would He call us to places that would require more changes in our lifestyles than we are willing to make? Would he call us to places where we'd rather not go, because of our fear?
It is fear, not faith that keeps us wandering in the wilderness. We come to the edge of the promised land and we shrink back in fear. We are afraid of the people - of what others might think or say about us if we took that step forward to enter into God's presence more fully. And so... we turn our backs on God and His promises to us, just as the Israelites did when the Lord was ready to lead them into their promised land.
May God help us to follow wherever He would lead us clinging to hope of the promise of His Kingdom through Jesus Christ, our Lord. May He help us to enter that Kingdom in joy.
The land of milk and honey that had been promised them was before them. A single cluster of grapes so large it had to be hung on a pole between two men to be carried. But, the Israelites shrunk back in fear of the people there. They would not possess it as the Lord commanded them to. They fear the people of the land, too much. They did not trust the Lord. They did not follow Him. For their lack of trust in God the promise of the land was taken away from them and given only to their children and those who believed - those two men - Caleb and Joshua - who had been willing to enter Canaan as the Lord directed. For their lack of trust in God and their fear of the people of Canaan, they were destined to wander in the wilderness for forty years and to die without entering the promised land.
How often does fear and not trust in the Lord direct our comings and goings? How often is it that fear regulates what we do and what we leave undone? God had promised us the "promised land", the kingdom of God, through Jesus Christ. That kingdom broke into this world - the gates were flung wide open - at the death of our Lord, for us. Yet, have we entered into that kingdom, to live in God's presence, to allow Him to guide us every inch of our way, our days? No, I think not. For whatever reason we shrink back from living life in that kingdom, in God's presence, to it's fullest. We shrink back and cling to the things, the ways of the world. We keep following the same old paths, wandering around aimlessly, in fear. I wonder sometimes, if it is maybe because we fear a possible face to face with the Lord. If that were to happen, what would He say to us? Would He call us to places that would require more changes in our lifestyles than we are willing to make? Would he call us to places where we'd rather not go, because of our fear?
It is fear, not faith that keeps us wandering in the wilderness. We come to the edge of the promised land and we shrink back in fear. We are afraid of the people - of what others might think or say about us if we took that step forward to enter into God's presence more fully. And so... we turn our backs on God and His promises to us, just as the Israelites did when the Lord was ready to lead them into their promised land.
May God help us to follow wherever He would lead us clinging to hope of the promise of His Kingdom through Jesus Christ, our Lord. May He help us to enter that Kingdom in joy.
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