In this week’s blog, I am like a little mountain goat who leaps from mountain top to mountain top. I just land on the high points. I can look out, I can glance down and all around. But, I also must gaze at all that is below the peaks because that is what is needed to build the mountain.
For the past two weeks, Pastor Jared Carlson, GracePoint Church, has been speaking on the Old Testament Book of Numbers – Yes, Numbers – the best kept secret of the wealth found within its pages. Numbers might seem monotonous to some with its long lists of names and numbers, but to the Israelites, the lists were the final roll call before the battle.
Numbers describes the events right before the Israelites were to enter the Promised Land. The Israelites were restless and impatient to be done with their wandering in the wilderness for the previous 40 years, and Oh, were they filled with anticipation of what God would do!
The Israelites were just steps away from entering the Promised Land that flowed with milk and honey, when Moses sent twelve spies into the land – not to cast doubt on what God had said, but to excite and encourage the people of the goodness of God.
Do you remember the children’s Sunday School song “12 Spies?” It goes like this: Twelve men went to spy out Canaan; ten were bad and two were good. What do you think they saw in Canaan? Ten were bad and two were good. Some saw giants, big and tall! Some saw grapes in clusters fall. Some saw God was in it all. Ten were bad and two were good. The song was meant to teach children this very story found in Numbers 13. The ten spies were not bad per se. The ten spies glanced at the rich and fertile land, but stared at the very tall people who dwelt there. The two spies gazed at the lush vegetation of fruits and vegetables and barely noticed the large people.
The two ‘good’ spies, Joshua and Caleb, thought about the strategy of how to enter the land. The ten spies wondered if they should enter the land. They brought their report back to Moses and the people. Twelve times the sons of Israel had done all according to what Moses commanded, but Israel also has had several pivotal points in their rebellious and disobedient history. However, this pivotal point was huge! God had promised to give them the Promised Land, He showcased His power that He was able to do so, and He faithfully provided everything they needed while in the wilderness. But, He didn’t say anything about the frightening, tall people they would have to conquer, they mumbled
“If you fear the Lord, you will be free from the fear of your enemies; if you forget God, you will inevitably fear men.” Iain Duguid
The Israelites grumbled. They complained. They wanted to go back to where their people had been captive for 400 years. They rejected everything God had given them. That is rebellion’s sum total!
Promises and provision provide peace ~ But it takes more than a glance at God to realize this!
Today, we see our own tendencies to grumble and complain. Why? No one is faultless, it’s true. So how do we guard against this? We gaze at God and only glance at life.
See Pastor Jared’s full sermon at https://exploregracepoint.com/sermon/everything-counts/