I was thinking more about the children of Israel's journey through their desert experience--the Sinai Peninsula (regarding my previous blog entries on January 29 & February 5). I've shared with you how I'm learning God uses desert experiences to prepare us for something greater down the road.
If you remember the story, you know Moses picked 12 spies to send to Canaan (the Promised Land) to scope it out. Moses wanted to know who was there, what the place looked like and was it worth charging forward and taking over. Those spies saw the walled cities of Jericho, the vast army and the giants who lived there. Ten of the twelve spies gave Moses a sensible report: The enemy is strong. We look small in comparison to them. So let's hold off on attacking them. They weren't lying to Moses, but their faith had most definitely failed them. Meantime, Joshua and Caleb (the other 2 spies) wanted to push forward, but the other 10 spies feared the giants more than they trusted God. The spies' fear got the best of them and the children of Israel turned back into the desert to wander again.
But guess what? When the children of Israel decided to try again 40 years later, the same giants still blocked their progress into the Promised Land. Although nothing had changed in the land, something had changed inside their hearts--they rejected fear and trusted God. This time around, they believed God when he told them in Joshua 1:3,5 "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you. I will not leave you nor forsake you." They took God at His Word now.
And of all things, God's plan for the children to conquer Jericho wasn't ordinary. By this point, Moses had died and Joshua was now the leader. God told Joshua to attack the city by walking around it. At the right time, they were to blow their trumpets and shout. If they did it just as God said, Jericho's walls would crumble and fall.
Just imagine the courage it took for Joshua to explain to his followers that all they had to do was to walk around the city! "I've got a plan, y'all. Get this...no need to fight. We're just going to march around the city and the walls will crumble at our feet! Doesn't that sound awesome?!" That makes absolutely no sense. Joshua risked embarrassment, humiliation and rejection from the children of Israel. Israel could face total defeat. But since you know the story, you know what happened.
Giant exist in your life and in my life because God is up to something much bigger than you and I can understand. It doesn't make sense to you and me, but God's plan is even bigger than a victory.
Monday I'll reveal why I believe God allows giants to exist.
1 comment:
You nailed it, sister! We've had some BIG giants in our lives, and because of them we have understood better than ever how perfect God's plan is. Thanks for writing so eloquently on this topic! Love you!
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