entering the pleasant land

The people refused to enter the pleasant land for they wouldn't believe His promise to care for them. Psalm 107:24

The children of Israel, the Jews, had just fled Egypt.

They had seen the plagues God sent upon the Egyptians.

But these plagues didn't happen to the Jews.

They saw Pharaoh let them leave – Pharaoh, the mightiest ruler in the world of the mightiest country in the world.

They had walked across the Red Sea through parted waters, on dry land.

They had seen Pharaoh's army – the mightiest army in the world – swallowed up & killed to the last man.

They had been provided food & water on the march to the Promised Land of Canaan.

They had seen the pillar of cloud by day that had shaded them from the hot desert sun while leading them to the Promised Land.

They had seen the pillar of fire by night that had lit up the darkness while keeping them warm.

They had seen God come down in a cloud on the top of Mt Sinai, & heard Him speak.

But when they came to Canaan, the land God had promised them would be theirs for the taking, these Jews looked at the formidable size & strength of the people living in Canaan, & say, :Huh uh – nooooo – we ain't going in – we can't lick these dudes.

iow, they didn't think God would do what He said He would do.

And so, God caused them to wander for 40 years until every person in the group who had been alive at the time of their refusal to go into Canaan had all died.

Ok then.....

Now before we castigate & belittle the Jews for their refusal to go into Canaan, let's consider this...

We know the end of the story – they didn't.

But they HAD seen all the miraculous things God had done just to get them standing at the boundaries of Canaan - & these were no small miracles – these were the mac-daddy of miracles.

How many of us, at one time or another, been just like the Jews standing at the boundary of Canaan?

How many of us have seen God pull our butts out of many a sling, time & time again, & yet don't trust Him to be & do the things He says He is & does?

How many of us are just to blame stupid or willful to obey Him?

How many of us just don't trust Him, no matter how much we've seen & experienced at His hands?

Yeah...

And how many of us have just jumped into the river of God's will & guidance for us & all humankind,

& let the current of His love & plan for us to carry us along,

not fighting the current,

not fighting where we are in the river nor where this river is taking us,

& keeping our feet from dragging the bottom & slowing out progress?

Yeah...

So maybe we should cut the Jews a little slack as they are standing at the boundary of Canaan?

Maybe...

Maybe since we've seen God come through time & time again, we ought to have leaened we can trust Him?

So, what if we be & do what God says to be & do, & nothing happens?

But what if we become & do what God tells us to be & do, & whatever He says is gonna happen happens?

Oh my.....

It's all about trust.

It always is.