We could go into deep, theological discussion on Israel's lack of trust in regards to conquering the Promised Land, or into raptures over the beauty of Joshua and Caleb's plea to the people of Israel. But do you know what I'm stuck on tonight from this passage? The irony.
When the Israelites heard the spies' report, completely ignoring Caleb's argument, their immediate response was this: Oh, if only we'd died in Egypt rather than face this! If only we would die in this wilderness!
It's no small wonder that God's anger burned against them. All too often during their time in the wilderness after their escape (yes, escape, deliverance) from Egypt, the Israelites had complained. They were hungry; they were going to die of hunger. They were thirsty; they were going to die of thirst. Wouldn't it have been better to remain oppressed and abused in Egypt? Oh, now they have food, but they don't have meat. They didn't like how Moses did things. They didn't like this, they didn't like that. For a people greatly indebted to the Lord, they didn't seem very grateful. (Sound familiar?) Now, they were told to go in and take possession of a land that would bless their socks (okay, sandals) off, and they wished they'd died there in the wilderness! So what did God do? He granted their wish.
He would have been okay with just zapping them right there and starting over with Moses. But the plea Moses spoke was true: God doesn't nullify His promises, nor would He allow a pagan nation to triumph and gloat over His people in such a way. However, it was a done deal: anyone old enough to be held accountable for their behavior, those who had seen God's wonders and yet tested Him ten times would never see the Promised Land. They would die in the wilderness. And their children, whom they had so feared would suffer for going into the Promised Land, would suffer for their parents' disbelief: they'd wander for 40 years. Yet, they would be the ones to take possession of the Promised Land. They would be the generation to go forward and fulfill the promise God had made to Abraham so many generations before them.
It makes you wonder: what decisions do you make today that will affect your children tomorrow? Specifically, what decisions of faith? Your choice in faithfulness in attending church will affect your children and their attitude towards the importance of corporate worship. They way you lead example in prayer, in private devotion and study, in tithing, fasting, how you apply God's word; how you treat others: it all affects how your children will perceive these things. It's a heavy load. A very heavy load! I look at my daughter, I think of my son yet to be born, and I realize that the decisions my husband and I make today in how we live, the decisions we make tomorrow will inevitably affect our children's attitudes towards the Faith. Praise God, He is the One who saves them! But I do owe them a responsibility in how I live out my faith. If I am a true disciple of Christ, if I am earnest in my love and devotion, then I can only hope it will influence them to believe in Him. If I'm not...
We have a practice in many churches of dedicating our children to the Lord as infants, as Hannah did Samuel, as Mary and Joseph did with Jesus. I appreciate the fact that our church emphasizes that we devote ourselves as parents just as much to raising our children to know the Lord. It's a serious commitment, as Nick and I learned when we took our baby girl forward more than a year ago. It will be again when we take our son. But more than that, I have decided to devote myself, every day, to the Lord: that I might be a worthy servant, and that I might be a worthy example for them. I've got a lot to learn.
Today's Reading: Numbers 15:1-41
No comments:
Post a Comment