Are you a doubter? Do you doubt others? Are you
unconvinced and unbelieving when someone does something? Are you suspicious?
Are you a God-doubter? Does God not come up to the expectations you have of
Him. How about you come up to His expectations? Ah…..that’s different you say?
We can never come up to God’s expectations so just how is God going to be able
to do what He says He will do.
Have you ever considered what it is that God wants for
this world, your community, your church, or you? Now, not just a passing
thought, but have you ever sat and meditated on it. We say that God wants the
best for us and yet, do we believe it, do we live like it?
God asked this very question of Moses in the presence of
the entire nation of Israel. In Numbers 13:11 God asks, “How
long will these people treat me with disrespect? Will they never believe me,
even after all the miraculous signs I have done among them?" This is the
difference between doubt and faith. God is saying to the nation of Israel and
to us as well, “When?” When are we going to stop trying to get God to match our
expectations and start paying attention to what He expects of us?”
Everything, good and bad, must go before
God before it happens to us. Everything, good and bad, goes before God and is
therefore for our benefit. A blessing can be good and bad. Many people, if they
were in Moses' shoes that day would have said, “Lord you’re right. I’m tired of
these people too, and they certainly don’t deserve you".
Twelve men from the nation went into the Promised Land.
They all traveled the same roads, met the same people, pretty much saw the same
thing. Ten came back with a report that would crush the hopes and dreams of the
people. In plain language they said that Canaan is a nice place to visit but I wouldn’t
want to live there. All the people we saw there are giants (They can’t ALL be
giants), they’re huge (They ALL can’t be that big), and boy are we small when
we compare ourselves to them. We are merely grasshoppers in their eyes.
Caleb and Joshua traveled the same road, walked the same
path and they saw the same things as the other ten. But their response and
recommendation was completely different. Caleb said "We should go up and
take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it" "Do not be
afraid of the people of the land for we will swallow them up." What caused
Caleb and Joshua to bring back such a positive report? There is really only one
reason that caused Caleb and Joshua to look at the Promised Land and see a
guaranteed victory.
It is because they had faith in God.
Caleb and Joshua had not forgotten that it wasn’t that long since they were slaves in Egypt making bricks for Pharaoh. They had not forgotten how God had displayed his divine power against the mighty Egyptian empire, bringing the proud Pharaoh to his knees. They had not forgotten the awesome sight of God’s mighty hand dividing the Red Sea and of the Egyptian army being swallowed up.
Who will believe?
Things have not really changed that much over the years
since the twelve went into the Promised Land.
As God’s people we are called to get out of church and do God’s Work. We
are commanded to teach others to strive to walk the Christian walk and claim
the promises of God. And like the Israelites in the wilderness we too many
times believe the reports of doubt, fear and intimidation.
Sure it’s a good idea, it’s a noble purpose, sure it would be nice, BUT, BUT the job is too big, the road is too long, the hill is too steep, so we might as well turn back.
Many for example, when they consider the challenge of sharing the gospel with a friend, neighbor, co-worker or relative listen to the report that says, "It’s a great idea, and yes they certainly need the Lord, BUT we are too weak, we won’t know what to say, they’ll never listen to us, and they may even laugh at us or think we are strange. We can’t do it. It’s not worth the risk. We need to turn back.” And we forget the promise of God that says that He is with us wherever we go as we take his Gospel into the world.
Remember the commercial for Wendy’s in the 80’s with the
old lady screaming, “Where’s the beef?” Well God’s trying to get our attention
by saying, “Where’s the faith?” He says, “I’ve given you everything, shown you
everything, proved my power over and over and over. How long will you not
believe?”
We let ourselves be frightened and panic stricken by what
we feel we cannot do and then we take our eyes off God. And when we do, we find
ourselves standing all alone and as we look at ourselves we say, "There is
no way I can do this, I’m just not good enough, I’m not strong enough."
If we had a list of all the churches throughout the years who failed in their work for the kingdom because they allowed nerves to stop them dead in their tracks, I am sure the list would be staggering and very sobering.
There would be:
Communities that were not reached
Buildings that were not built
Lessons that were not taught
Visits that were not made
Fellowship that was not shared
And souls that were not saved
Friends we need to have a faith like Joshua’s and Caleb’s. We need to keep our eyes on the Lord, and we need to keep our faith firmly planted in His power. If the work we want to do, if the goal we want to achieve is for the advancement of the work of the kingdom, we must remember that we are not alone and that God is with us, and that it is He who will give us the victory.
Is the cost too high? “We can’t do it” – God said you not
only can, you will and Caleb said, “We must.”
