Numbers
13:30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at
once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
It won't even be close! That's what Caleb was saying. No need to hesitate, no need to procrastinate, no need to waste any more time wandering......we are well able to overcome! I love those words of faith. Those are words that come from someone who is tired of going in circles, and is confident in God's promises. It would be great to know that these words of assurance persuaded the people to posses the land, but they didn't. And because they didn't, they would all die in the wilderness having never lived in the land that flowed with milk and honey. It wasn't God's will for them, but it was what they chose by choosing not to trust God. The hardest part for me is knowing that Joshua and Caleb would have to wander with the doubters until they all died off, and they themselves would be well up in age when they eventually made it in. I guess that's how it works with faith and doubting. The opportunities are limitless with faith, and likewise the struggles are numerous when we choose to doubt instead. I see another valuable lesson in this passage: Be very careful about whose opinions and whose votes you choose to attach to. Just because it's a majority doesn't mean it's the right decision. The vote in this text was 10-2 in favor of not going in. It was a win by a landslide, but it was a horrible mistake. A mistake that would decide the fate of an entire generation. I pray that we won't ever side with the crowd just because it's a crowd, but instead we will vote with faith in a God who makes us well able to overcome!
It won't even be close! That's what Caleb was saying. No need to hesitate, no need to procrastinate, no need to waste any more time wandering......we are well able to overcome! I love those words of faith. Those are words that come from someone who is tired of going in circles, and is confident in God's promises. It would be great to know that these words of assurance persuaded the people to posses the land, but they didn't. And because they didn't, they would all die in the wilderness having never lived in the land that flowed with milk and honey. It wasn't God's will for them, but it was what they chose by choosing not to trust God. The hardest part for me is knowing that Joshua and Caleb would have to wander with the doubters until they all died off, and they themselves would be well up in age when they eventually made it in. I guess that's how it works with faith and doubting. The opportunities are limitless with faith, and likewise the struggles are numerous when we choose to doubt instead. I see another valuable lesson in this passage: Be very careful about whose opinions and whose votes you choose to attach to. Just because it's a majority doesn't mean it's the right decision. The vote in this text was 10-2 in favor of not going in. It was a win by a landslide, but it was a horrible mistake. A mistake that would decide the fate of an entire generation. I pray that we won't ever side with the crowd just because it's a crowd, but instead we will vote with faith in a God who makes us well able to overcome!
Amen..... It may not be easy resisting the sway of the crowd, and I'm not just talking about the "worldly" crowd. There are times when we must go against the sway of the religious crowd as well. Let God and His Word be the only influence and direction we hold fast to, live by faith in Him!!
ReplyDeleteHelp us Lord! We don't want to let your visions and dreams die in the wilderness!
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