July 19, 2013 (Friday)
Numbers 13 describes a crucial experience in the life of the budding nation of Israel. The people had been freed from the slavery of Egypt, and had agreed to a covenant with the LORD God to love and obey Him in return for His love and blessings upon them. Now the time had arrived to enter the Promised Land, but first a scouting party consisting of a representative from each tribe was sent to see the land and report back before the main entry into the land. They went in, and after a while returned. Ten of the twelve described everything they had seen from a negative point of view. They reported the obstacles and dangers and recommended that they forget the whole “take the land” thing.
Two of them, however, disagreed. Joshua and Caleb made a passionate plea to proceed as planned. Caleb cried out, “Let’s go at once to take the land; we can certainly conquer it!”
The other ten responded with horror at the idea. They screamed out their fear of facing an enemy that would certainly kill them all. The people heard them clearly, and wept aloud, crying all night. They began talking about getting rid of their leaders and going back to Egypt. In response, Joshua appealed, “”The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. The Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of any enemies!”
Then the Lord declared that not one of them would ever enter the land. The rest is history: they wandered as nomads in the wilderness until they died and a new generation was ready to obey the Lord.
How very sad. After all they had gone through to get ready to enter the Promised Land, they refused to enter. The reason is clear: they lacked faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God.
What is God asking of you? Does doing His Will require faith and obedience? Of course it does. Will you enter the “promised land” in your own life, or will you choose wilderness wanderings instead? In 1954, Bo and Dick Baker wrote, “His Way Mine,” and here is the first verse and chorus:
“God has a place for every planned creation,
A path for every star to go.
He drew the course for every river’s journey,
Now I know he has a way for me.
I place my life in the hands of God.
Those hands so scarred now outstretched for me.
Where ever it may be, over land, over sea,
May thy will sublime, O Thou God divine, be mine”