“Moving Again!” Devotional #35 

            I don’t like to move.  Everything about moving from the packing to the decisions that need to be made like whether to keep things, give them away or throw them out, are tiresome and hard.  Moving is accompanied by lots of changes from the obvious like your address, to the not so obvious like how much time it will take to adjust to all that will be  new.  Moving also means having to get settled in a new place which means more work like unpacking for instance.   

            The other day I was unpacking some boxes.  As I was going through them I started wondering how the Israelites felt as they were moving around in the wilderness for forty years.  They didn’t have the luxury of moving trucks or even boxes to pack things in.  How difficult must it have been for them?  Do I really have reason to complain when I have the ability to pack and move so easily compared to what they went through?  I have friends and family that have moved from time to time too.  Each move that was made was because of a job situation, a family need or a better more comfortable place to live.  Hope is usually attached to a move.  But for the Israelites their hope was gone at least for the generation that was paying for their unbelief.  The hope of the “Promised Land” was passed down to the following generation.

            Numbers 13:18-20, ‘“See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many.  What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified?  How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)”’ (NIV)

            Moses had given this order to the twelve spies that were chosen to go in and check out the land of Canaan which was the “Promised Land.”  When they had finished spying the land they came back to Moses and the people of Israel to give their report.  Only two of the twelve men believed that God could and would give them victory over all of the battles needed to fight to possess the land.  They convinced the people that God couldn’t do it.  Though the Lord had promised the people and repeatedly reminded them that He would keep His promise made to Abraham they still did not believe. 

            Numbers 14:26-30, “God spoke to Moses and Aaron: “How long is this going to go on, all this grumbling against me by this evil-infested community? I’ve had my fill of complaints from these grumbling Israelites. Tell them, As I live—God’s decree—here’s what I’m going to do: Your corpses are going to litter the wilderness—every one of you twenty years and older who was counted in the census, this whole generation of grumblers and grousers. Not one of you will enter the land and make your home there, the firmly and solemnly promised land, except for Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.” (MSG)  Then in Numbers 14:33-35, “Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness.  For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’  I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.” (NIV)

            As these people moved from time to time in the wilderness for forty years their experience must have been heart wrenching.  Each move was harder than the last.  Each time it was a reminder of their unbelief and the hope that they would one day live in the land “flowing with milk and honey,” was dead for them.  It was because of God’s mercy that their children were able to see the “Promised Land.”  They were the ones that experienced all of the wonders that came with obeying the Lord and living in obedience.  The move for the new generation must have been full of excitement!  They were the ones that had a move to remember!  Though they were probably tired of moving by then that final move into what became Israel must have been the best one ever!  They must have thought to themselves, “We’re moving again!  This time will be our last move!” 

            My dear friends how wonderful it must have been for them.  It was an awesome experience going in side by side with the Lord.  Our daily experiences even our experiences with moves can also be awesome experiences as long as we also go side by side with the Lord. 

 

My dear friend, thank you for reading this devotional.  Know that I appreciate you and am praying for you.  Thanks for passing on this blog to others!  Please continue to pass it on.  Also, I have a Facebook page for the ministry!  It’s a great way to get updates on the ministry and when the latest devotionals have been posted on this blog.  I also started posting “Thought of the day.” They’re short reads and have gotten great reviews.  Come and join by pressing “like!” on the page:  www.facebook.com/ReflectingTruthMinistries  God bless you! 

*If you would like to read this same devotional in Spanish or know of someone that would please visit my Spanish blog at www.ministerioreflejandolaverdad.blogspot.com