POOR VISION OR HEAVENLY SIGHT?

It was not too long ago that in my daily quiet times, I had been studying in the Old Testament book of Numbers. Now I have often wondered why this book was named Numbers…. was it because of the number of times the Israelites tried the Lord’s patience or the number of times He forgave them their transgressions? There is an answer to that question…but let’s save that for another time.

Today, I want to focus on the return of the spies from their scouting duties in the land of Canaan. If you remember the story in Numbers 13:1-25, Moses hand-picked twelve men to journey into the land of Canaan to scope out this “land promised to the Israelites by the hand of God.” Moses gave them a query of things they were to assess on their mission and told them to bring back a sample of the fruit of the land…after all, it was time for the grape harvest!

So, off they went to explore the entire region; and, at the end of forty days, with a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes that hung on a pole being carried by two men….they returned. Here’s the rest of the story…

“They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. They gave Moses this account. “We went into the land to which you sent us and it does INDEED flow with milk and honey. Here is its fruit. BUT….(Numbers 13:26-27)

And that’s where the trouble began…right after the BUT. If they would have just continued to trust in the word of the Lord: in the leadership of his chosen spokesman, Moses; in the promise of a God that had never failed them or abandoned them in their time of distress or need….instead they trusted what they could see…as we continue to read in verse 28, “But the people who live there are powerful and their cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.”

They continued to lament how it would be impossible to overtake the Amalekites, Jebusites, Amorites and Canaannites who inhabited the land. But one of the explorers, Caleb, stepped forward to silence the people and proclaimed, “We should go up and take possession of this land, for we can certainly do it. But, the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than us.”

And that’s the difference …both the naysayers and Caleb saw the same things. Both stood with a large pole of a single cluster of grapes before them….both saw the size of the people living in the land…however; one was using heavenly vision and the others only saw the weakness of themselves as no match for the giants in the land.

What about you? When God as given you a mission or has set before you a test of faith…how do you see it? Are you empowered by your Heavenly Father to accomplish His will for your life or are you weak and powerless as you face the giants of inadequacies, confusion and despair?

You can’t move the mountain on your own…BUT (there’s that little word again) …NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR OUR GOD….for when He is for us, who can possibly stand against us?  No One …NO WAY….NO HOW!!!!!

IT’S ALL A MATTER OF VISION….Seeing before you what God can and will accomplish when you surrender to Him and trust His word….Heavenly Vision ….ask for it by name…..and come back tomorrow for the rest of this heart-breaking story.

Looking through my faith to catch a glimpse of Him,

WPQ

Thought for the Day:

When called to step out in faith

Don't wait to see what others do..

Gladly trust the Lord above

And in His great love for you.

God is the Mighty Conqueror,

So let not troubles bring despair.

For when God goes before you;

His strength will get you there.

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