Sunday, November 17, 2013

November 17 (Numbers 14:24)

But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.  (ESV)

The choice is really quite simple.  It is as simple as it gets.  Trust God and enjoy life or do not trust him and miss life entirely.  Moses had sent spies to check out the land that God had promised, and ten of them came back with knee-knocking reports of giants and the recommendation to forego the whole thing.  Despite what they had seen of God’s provision as He led them out of Egypt, they could not bring themselves to trust him now.  God’s response in Numbers 14:20-24 was pretty blunt.  “Have it your way, but none of you who doubt me are going to enjoy the Promised Land.  Caleb will, because he trusts me.”

I have a tendency to go the way of the ten who feared.  I have seen God’s provision and His hand of love more times than I can count, and yet I still fear.  I still doubt.  Fortunately, God will help with our fears and our doubts, too.   Where the ten spies went wrong was in staying in their doubt.  When we present our fears and hesitations to God, He will lead us through them, back to a place of trust.

As the old hymn says, there really is no way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.  We can only trust if we truly believe God loves us.  If you can only risk this much faith, at least ask God to help you feel His love and trust Him.  He will come through.
Father, I am embarrassed, but You already know the truth of it, so here goes.  I need help believing Your love for me.  I need help to trust You.  I have a sense that if I could live out of this trust, my life would take off in amazing ways.  Help me to trust and obey.  In the name of Jesus, my Lord, amen.

Copyright © 2013 by Steven R. Perkins

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