SCRIPTURE:
“That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
Numbers 14:1-4
OBSERVATION:
In the midst of challenges and uncertainty in their hearts of what the future held, they thought the unthinkable – going back to slavery was BETTER! Now, that is some faulty stinking thinking if you ask me. Even though Joshua and Caleb told them what they saw, they decided to see through a different lens. They began listening to and agreeing with the noise of the crowd and their hearts turned towards rebellion, saying let’s choose a leader and go back!
APPLICATION:
You can take the man out of Egypt, but it sure is difficult to get Egypt out of the man. One of the biggest misconceptions is if we change our location that everything else will change, but it’s actually the other way around. You can stay put, yet change your internal man and everything else in your life will begin to get better.
Growing up I thought if I could just get out of my small hometown, if I could just get away from the people around me that caused me trauma and pain and just get away, that my life would work out. Right out of high school I moved to another state and temporarily enjoyed some peace.
Just a few months later, the inner turmoil would begin to churn until it boiled over. Seeking out help, I’ll never forget what someone said – “You still live there.” I grew upset and argued that I didn’t. To which the reply was “Physically you don’t, but in your heart you still live there, that’s why you’re still feeling all of this.”
It was a long road of healing and transformation that taught me changing zip codes wouldn’t change my heart.
In order for things to change around me, I had to change things within me. Change the way I saw, heard, thought and believed. In the midst of challenges and struggles and my own wilderness moments, I’ll need to take on the eyes, hearts and minds of Joshua and Caleb.
PRAYER:
Father Almighty. Forgive me Lord when I have seen things like the other 10 spies. Thank You Lord that You have my best in mind. May I have Your eyes to see, hear with Your ears, think with Your mind and believe with Your heart, this I pray, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
