11 Days or 40 Years
While writing this, it felt more like a book outline, or sermon preparation, not a single blog post. It had lessons inside of lessons. So to gain clarity, and for the sake of keeping it brief, I made a list of the ideas that were going through my head and I ended up with this on my desk:
The ideas racing through my head, stem from the books of Exodus and Joshua. I recently learned when the Israelites were freed from Egypt, their journey to the Promised Land should have taken 11 days. But it didn't take them 11 days, it took them 40 years! Did you know this?! I did not, and was perplexed by the time discrepancy, so I needed to find out why the journey took so long.
I began to see the reasons in Exodus chapter 16:
In the desert the whole community complained against Moses and Aaron... your complaints are against the Lord, not against us.
They had only been in the desert a few days and were already complaining! They saw with their own eyes God part the Red Sea! But they still didn't believe God was going to bring them into the Promised Land! I use exclamation points because I am annoyed by their behavior, but it leads me to ask a hard question... how often do I complain about the miracles God has given me? How often do I worry instead of trust God? The answer is sobering... daily.
I complain about my children's mess, their behavior, my lack of free time. When I do that, I am complaining about a miracle. When I get overwhelmed by the mountain of unknowns in our life, I am not trusting God with our future.
So how do we combat a grumbling spirit?
Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
Colossians 3:15-17
How do we combat disbelief?
... faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6
... with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26
We each have a choice to make: we can spend our days complaining and worrying, while wandering in the desert. Or we can take small steps of faith, trusting God, and reach the Promised Land in eleven short days. I choose the later. I choose abundant freedom.
The ideas racing through my head, stem from the books of Exodus and Joshua. I recently learned when the Israelites were freed from Egypt, their journey to the Promised Land should have taken 11 days. But it didn't take them 11 days, it took them 40 years! Did you know this?! I did not, and was perplexed by the time discrepancy, so I needed to find out why the journey took so long.
I began to see the reasons in Exodus chapter 16:
In the desert the whole community complained against Moses and Aaron... your complaints are against the Lord, not against us.
They had only been in the desert a few days and were already complaining! They saw with their own eyes God part the Red Sea! But they still didn't believe God was going to bring them into the Promised Land! I use exclamation points because I am annoyed by their behavior, but it leads me to ask a hard question... how often do I complain about the miracles God has given me? How often do I worry instead of trust God? The answer is sobering... daily.
I complain about my children's mess, their behavior, my lack of free time. When I do that, I am complaining about a miracle. When I get overwhelmed by the mountain of unknowns in our life, I am not trusting God with our future.
So how do we combat a grumbling spirit?
Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
Colossians 3:15-17
How do we combat disbelief?
... faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6
... with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26
We each have a choice to make: we can spend our days complaining and worrying, while wandering in the desert. Or we can take small steps of faith, trusting God, and reach the Promised Land in eleven short days. I choose the later. I choose abundant freedom.
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