Your Children
Your Children
Reading: Numbers 14-16; Mark 3
30 You will not enter and occupy the land I swore to give you. The only exceptions will be Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. 31 “ ‘You said your children would be carried off as plunder. Well, I will bring them safely into the land, and they will enjoy what you have despised. (Numbers 14:30-31 NLT)
This part of the story is filled with knee-jerk, fear-based actions on the part of the people and humble, faith-based response on the part of Moses. The people had trouble trusting God from one meal to the next. They quickly forgot how bad things had been in Egypt and started longing for the “good old days” of slavery. They, like I often do, tended to forget all God had done, and couldn’t see beyond the ends of their noses!
God sees a bigger picture. God sees wide-screen, long-range, and high definition. God chose to intervene in the life of a specific generation of the Israelites. He appointed Moses as a prophetic leader, and Moses’ tribe as His priests and administrators. God began the great project of bringing them out of generations of slavery and making them a nation of free God-worshipers.
God saw way ahead beyond the present moment, while they were bogged down in daily details. God was dealing with a faith-based future, and they were reacting with fear-based complaints and rebellion.
God has graciously allowed me to be part of his plan. He offers me purpose and direction, shows me his power and ability, and then sets challenges before me. I can respond in faith and trust, and be part of the plan. Or I can grumble and complain, and sideline myself. But God will get it done.
If not me, someone else in my generation will lead the way forward, and another generation will bravely go where I didn’t. But God will get it done.
Prayer:
Father, I want to be one of the Calebs and Joshuas who bridges the generations. I want to do my part, face my challenges, and keep moving forward in faith. I don’t want to be one whose corpse litters the wilderness. Please give me vision to see the long-range and wide-screen picture of your plan and purpose. Please give me courage and faith to bridge the generations and finish the journey. Amen!