Whose Report Will You Believe?
The busiest days of my week are coming to an end. I had two campaign meeting today and a follow up newspaper interview for tomorrow. The next 30 days will be important for my efforts. Your prayers are appreciated.
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…. “We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large…. But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” Numbers 13:27,28,30
The Children of Israel are at the threshold of the promise land. The Lord directs Moses to send spies into the land. One man from each tribe to spend 40 days touring one end of the land to the other. They return to an eager crowd anticipating their report.
They give their factual report. It is a good land “flowing with milk and honey” with fortified cities inhabited by strong people. To this assessment Caleb speaks up and says, “let’s go take our inheritance and possess the land!” He is not looking at what is, but what will be and the promise of the Lord being fulfilled.
The other spies look at what is as an insurmountable obstacle. “…We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” (Numbers 13:31 ESV)
In the contrast of these two views, we see Caleb with his eyes on the “milk and honey” and the bounty of the land and the others spies look at the walled cities and strong people who stood between them and the bounty of the land.
Caleb had his eyes fixed on a “big” God and the other spies on a “big” enemy. As a result they begin to exaggerate the challenges. “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height….and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” (Numbers 13:32,33 ESV)
Joshua and Caleb focus on what the land has to offer and the greatness of God. “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey.” (Number 14:7,8 ESV)
We can observe what is inherit in human weakness and that is, negative reports are given greater credence than positive ones. There is a natural tendency to be motivated more by fear than by faith.
Often in our minds we can find the dialogue of the ten spies being played out. The opportunity is great, but the risk seems greater. Our minds can battle between faith and fear. Between looking for our own abilities and trusting in the Lord’s intervention.
The key as Joshua pointed out is pleasing God and obeying Him. There is an old saying, “Where God guides, He provides.” The New Testament proclamation is, “If God be for us who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
Prayer for today…. Lord enable us to choose the report of faith and confidence in Your provision and protection. It is Your love that drives out fear and gives us the assurance that the “battle belongs to the Lord.”