Corona Devo 369

Once I dated a guy who was nice, but he was also extremely quiet, was not a Jesus follower, had no career plans, no ambition and no money.  At the time, I was offended that several of my family members thought it was their business to get into my business and caution me about a possible future with this person.  But looking back, I realize that they spoke in love, wisdom and a hope for my future.  

The man that God chose for me to marry was not only nice but he is the polar opposite of all those other things.  If I would have pushed forward with my-plan-at-the-time I would have missed out on the best thing that has ever happened to me. 

Have you ever known something was a bad idea, but you went ahead with it anyway?  Maybe it was rooted in selfishness--you just really wanted it, or maybe it was an unrealistic expectation that you were not willing to admit.  Whatever the reason, sometimes we push forward even though intuition, well-meaning people and even God tell us to stop.

If we move forward in directions that God has not pointed us in or approved of, then the results cannot attain God's full blessing.  And worst of all, we forfeit the good plans that God has for us.  Or, another way to say it might be "The Lord will abandon you because you have abandoned the Lord.” (Numbers 14:43).

This is the position that the Israelites put themselves in.  God had rescued them from slavery and provided for their daily needs.  But the Israelites loved to complain.  They were fixated on what they did not have and blind to what the Lord had provided.  They chose to see hardship instead of blessing.  They repeatedly showed bitterness over gratitude and time after time they did not exercise their faith in God.

They had a fickle faith, and after twelve spies went out and explored their promised "Promised Land" and ten of them came back shaking in their boots, they sided with the ten (instead of God) and dug their heels into a mound of fear and lack-of-faith.

God was not pleased. 

And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? Will they never believe me, even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them? 12 I will disown them and destroy them with a plague... 13 But Moses objected.  ~Numbers 14:11-12

 It took alot to fluster God, but He was there.  Moses went to bat in defending the people and more importantly, Moses defended God's good name and not wanting anything to tarnish it.

“What will the Egyptians think when they hear about it?” he asked the Lord. “They know full well the power you displayed in rescuing your people from Egypt. 14 Now if you destroy them, the Egyptians will send a report to the inhabitants of this land, who have already heard that you live among your people...the nations that have heard of your fame will say, 16 ‘The Lord was not able to bring them into the land he swore to give them, so he killed them in the wilderness.’

17 “Please, Lord, prove that your power is as great as you have claimed... 19 In keeping with your magnificent, unfailing love, please pardon the sins of this people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.”  ~Numbers 14:13-17, 19

Wasn't Moses a great diplomat?  Both for the Israelite's well-being and also for God's fame and reputation.  Moses feared and honored God but He also was a true mediator for the Israelite people.  And the Lord honored this faith-filled man's dedication.  But not without consequence to those that were pushing forward with their own wills instead of God's.

20 Then the Lord said, “I will pardon them as you have requested. 21 But as surely as I live, and as surely as the earth is filled with the Lord’s glory, 22 not one of these people will ever enter that land. They have all seen my glorious presence and the miraculous signs I performed both in Egypt and in the wilderness, but again and again they have tested me by refusing to listen to my voice... 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.  ~Numbers 14:20-22, 30

The people and the ten spies that did not have faith in God's provision in the Promised Land would reap what they had sown in faith...which was nothing.  

The reward of faith comes after we have stepped out to live it and the Israelites (except for Joshua and Caleb) would not trust God's leading, and it cost them their entry into the Promised Land.

That is bad enough, right?  But have you ever known something was a bad idea, and you went ahead with it anyway?  God had told the Israelites to stop, because their lack-of-trust had prevented His blessing upon them entering Canaan.  But they decided to move forward anyway.

39 When Moses reported the Lord’s words to all the Israelites, the people were filled with grief. 40 Then they got up early the next morning and went to the top of the range of hills. “Let’s go,” they said. “We realize that we have sinned, but now we are ready to enter the land the Lord has promised us.”

41 But Moses said, “Why are you now disobeying the Lord’s orders to return to the wilderness? It won’t work. 42 Do not go up into the land now. You will only be crushed by your enemies because the Lord is not with you. 43 When you face the Amalekites and Canaanites in battle, you will be slaughtered. The Lord will abandon you because you have abandoned the Lord.”

44 But the people defiantly pushed ahead toward the hill country, even though neither Moses nor the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant left the camp. 45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in those hills came down and attacked them and chased them back as far as Hormah.  ~Numbers 14:39-45

God showed the twelve spies the plentitude of the Promised Land, but ten of them allowed fear to blind their senses and their faith.  Then after God had rebuked their distrust and removed His blessing on their entry into the Promised Land, they said a quick prayer and decided that they were in the clear.

Not happening.

We cannot expect God's blessing and "amnesia" of our selfishness or lack-of-faith without true repentance. When we push forward even when God tells us to stop, we cannot expect entrance into whatever "Promised Land" God has for us today or tomorrow.  The reward of faith comes after we have stepped out to live it.  

God's plans are best for us.  If we push forward with our plans (and forsake His), we miss out on the Promised Land that He has in store for us.  

Lord, help us to realize today that You speak in love, wisdom and a hope for our future.  Amen 

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com