Facing giants

by Granny Girl

In the book of Numbers, chapters 13-14, we're told about the spies Moses sent into the land of Canaan to spy it out. He sent one man from each of the tribes of Israel plus Joshua, the son of Nun. The spies found their promised future home to be a land of wonders! It was a land they described as "flowing with milk and honey." Now that seems like reason enough for the men to recommend to Moses that the childen of Israel take the land God had promised them and inhabit it. But only Caleb (from the tribe of Judah) and Joshua made that recommendation. The other men had seen how strong and big the inhabitants of Canaan were. Some were descendants of giants, so they were indeed big. And these men shifted their focus from the promise to the problem. The Israelites listened to these naysayers and started up their habitual whining. "Why didn't we just die in the land of Egypt?" they cried.

I love Joshua and Caleb's response! "And they spoke to the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: "The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, 'a land which flows with milk and honey.' Only do not rebel against the Lord, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread, their protection has departed from them, and the Lord is with us. Do not fear them."

The Israelites chose to follow the fearmongers, and it was only through intercession by Moses that God didn't just kill them right there and then. He instead had mercy on them and allowed them to live out their days, but that generation never got to inhabit the promised land. And God did wipe out the spies who gave the negative report with a plague.

I'm so glad this was my lesson for today. Right now I'm completely without an income. My unemployment benefits have ended, and I haven't made any real estate deals yet, so no commissions are coming in. I have some job prospects, but nothing sure. It greatly encourages me to see the example in Numbers on how to face an uncertain future. I will choose to follow Caleb and Joshua's example and believe in God's promises of provision and His might in overcoming the enemy. Nothing about my future is in my control except for my attitude and actions. God will honor my faith like he did Caleb's in Numbers 14:24 "But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it."