Numbers 14:2-11
2 And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is theLord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel. 6 And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. 8 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. 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” 10 Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel. 11 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?
Do you ever feel hopeless because of your addictive behaviors? Do you think: "this is impossible, I'll never make it"? The Israelites were feeling hopeless too. The evidence seemed pretty convincing: their enemy was bigger and more powerful than they were. Likewise the evidence facing us can be pretty convincing: we've spent years failing in this area, the sin is more powerful than we are. This analysis is logical, but flawed, for it misses an important ingredient: God. By ourselves, the sin is indeed too powerful, but with God nothing is impossible. Joshua and Caleb correctly saw (verses 8-9) that the key was not how strong the enemy was, but what the Lord wanted to do. In verse 11 God says that the problem with the Israelites was that they refused to believe in Him. If God is really God, then anything can happen. We need to keep this hope in mind, that our victory over sin is not dependent on our own strength, but on God's promises.
God, thank you for being bigger than my problems. Help me to remember how great and mighty You are!
2 And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is theLord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.” 5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the people of Israel. 6 And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. 8 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. 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” 10 Then all the congregation said to stone them with stones. But the glory of the Lord appeared at the tent of meeting to all the people of Israel. 11 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?
Do you ever feel hopeless because of your addictive behaviors? Do you think: "this is impossible, I'll never make it"? The Israelites were feeling hopeless too. The evidence seemed pretty convincing: their enemy was bigger and more powerful than they were. Likewise the evidence facing us can be pretty convincing: we've spent years failing in this area, the sin is more powerful than we are. This analysis is logical, but flawed, for it misses an important ingredient: God. By ourselves, the sin is indeed too powerful, but with God nothing is impossible. Joshua and Caleb correctly saw (verses 8-9) that the key was not how strong the enemy was, but what the Lord wanted to do. In verse 11 God says that the problem with the Israelites was that they refused to believe in Him. If God is really God, then anything can happen. We need to keep this hope in mind, that our victory over sin is not dependent on our own strength, but on God's promises.
God, thank you for being bigger than my problems. Help me to remember how great and mighty You are!