"So we departed from Horeb, and went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw on the way to the mountains of the Amorites, as the LORD our God had commanded us. Then we came to Kadesh Barnea. And I said to you, 'You have come to the mountains of the Amorites, which the LORD our God is giving us. Look, the LORD your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the LORD God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged.'
"And every one of you came near to me and said, 'Let us send men before us, and let them search out the land for us, and bring back word to us of the way by which we should go up, and of the cities into which we shall come.'
"The plan pleased me well; so I took twelve of your men, one man from each tribe. And they departed and went up into the mountains, and came to the Valley of Eshcol, and spied it out. They also took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us; and they brought back word to us, saying, 'It is a good land which the LORD our God is giving us.'
"Nevertheless you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God; and you complained in your tents, and said, 'Because the LORD hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, "The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there."'
"Then I said to you, 'Do not be terrified, or afraid of them. The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.' Yet, for all that, you did not believe the LORD your God, who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.—Deuteronomy 1:19-33
Notice that in faith Moses looked ahead with confidence. He understood the enormity of the task before them but he also knew that God was sufficient for whatever they would face. The people looked back toward Egypt and in their cowardice, rebelled against the commandment of God and complained in their tents. Complaining gives evidence of unbelief and a lack of gratitude toward God. Their description of the people of the land (stronger and taller than we are) revealed that they thought their task was impossible for both themselves and God. They looked at all the obstacles rather than at their God who had already proven Himself to be trustworthy.
Hebrews 11: 1 describes faith this way: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Moses believed God…the people did not. Moses walked by faith, the people by sight. Warren Wiersbe rightly says that unbelief blinds you to God’s greatness and magnifies your own weakness. I have found this to be so true in my own walk with the Lord.
My Father in heaven has graciously given me all that I need to see me through this life. And yet…I confess…that there are times at night before I sleep when my heart still shudders in fear as I contemplate the future and those things that might lie ahead for me. I right my wrong trajectory by remembering God. When my mind is stayed on Him peace reigns. When I begin to look at my circumstances or even the trials that other people are facing, I shrink in fear. I don’t want any of it.
O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!—Romans 7:24
The verse that often comes to mind and helps me when I struggle with fear, unbelief or the real bottom line…not getting what I want…is this one:
And He gave them their request,
But sent leanness into their soul.—Psalm 106:15
It reminds me that I truly don’t want my way…I want His. I want to live my life in continuous thanksgiving for His steadfast love toward me that never ceases. I want to live thankful that He rules and overrules all that comes my way for my good and His glory. His will for me comes from His heart and is an expression of His love. I don’t want to miss out on any of the spirit strengthening victories that faith brings. It is not in me to navigate this world on my own. Without Him I can do nothing good. My Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. There is no going to the Father without Him. Faith brings soul fullness…it brings victory and life. Unbelief brings soul leanness…defeat and death are its fruit.
Beloved…Hear the inspired words of Moses from the above passage in Deuteronomy. Tuck them away in your heart and ask the Spirit of God to bring them into your remembrance when they are needed.
"Then I said to you, 'Do not be terrified, or afraid of them. The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.'
Father…Have mercy on me for I am weak. Be my strong habitation to which I can continually resort. Help me to be like that Proverbs 31 woman who was not afraid of “ snow” for her household. She was not caught off guard physically or spiritually because she wholeheartedly followed her God. To the eyes that see by faith the earth is filled with Your goodness. I need never be afraid.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."—Joshua 1:9
Photo credit : Anna
No comments:
Post a Comment