T-84

The word of God is powerful. He said ‘let there be…’ and there was. By His word the heavens and the earth, the land and the sea, the plants and the animals were all created. By his word, Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden and it was by his word that the land of Canaan became the Promised Land.

Yet for man, God’s word is often not adequate. It seems stupid that this is the case nevertheless, it is the truth. As fallible humans we are far more apt to accept the words of another human than we are the words of God. So it was that God had Moses send the ‘spies’ into the land of Canaan that they may give report to the nation of Israel and testify to the promise of God. And report they did…

" They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.”" (Numbers 13:26-29, NIV)
[1]

At the end of the season of ‘spying’ the leaders of the tribes of Israel returned to where the nation of Israel was camped. In my mind, I can see them coming over the horizon like a scene out of ‘Band of Brothers’ except for that big cluster of grapes on a pole between two of them. I can imagine the news of their return spreading across the camp and the murmuring and excitement it must have caused. I can envision people laying down their work, setting aside half-finished projects and slowly coming together in great expectation.

Scripture tells us that ‘they reported.’ Whether they had an appointed spokesman is not clear but someone stepped forward and said ‘it is all true.’ They testified to the truth of what God had said ‘it does flow with milk and honey!’ They presented as proof positive, a cluster of grapes. And having analyzed all the land and the inhabitants as well, they continued with their report.

They reported that the inhabitants were powerful and some were of immense size, giants in their eyes (descendants of Anak). They observed that the cities are fortified and very large. And then they identified where in the land the various peoples lived; some in the desert, see in the hill country and still others along the coastline and riverbanks. And in this way, they obediently fulfilled their charge.

But even in this, we can the beginnings of a problem, doubt has entered their mind. Setting aside the memory of how God had set them free from Egypt, forgetting his provision and guidance through the desert, ignoring the fact of His promises, fear and faithlessness are raising their ugly head.

I recognize these distractions and obstacles because they are familiar to me. Though I’ve read the book, studied the manual and have an intimate relationship with the author, my Creator, nevertheless in my humanity I am weak. Like those spies, I can look squarely at the fulfillment of God’s promise and still see only those things which I cannot overcome. I allow the problems of everyday life to become giants in my sight, able to swallow me, to crush and defeat me. That’s the nature of my flesh and the manifestation of the curse in my life. And when I am not squarely in God’s will, I fall in defeat.

However, I am not bound by the weakness of my flesh for I have been redeemed! Those things which I cannot overcome, God created! God alone can overcome them and I am neither expected or required to claim that victory. I need only step aside and let God be glorified and then I share in His victory.

I must admit that when word came that Camp Tsungani was being turned out of the land of Camp Cordova, my heart grieved. I have so many good memories of our time there that for a few moments, I was stunned and overwhelmed. That was flesh. But immediately, the ministrations of The Spirit within me began, my mind transformed, I started contemplating in what way God would overcome this roadblock. My faith strengthened, I earnestly strove to stay centered in his will. And not just me! But literally dozens of people resorted to prayer and responding to the leading of the Spirit, they searched for a new campground.

When we first visited the campground, I didn’t really know what to expect. I knew there would be earth and some cabins, a pool and a dining hall. It was likely to have trees and grass. J We went and we spied out the land and discovered that like the land of Canaan, this campground flows with milk and honey. Oh sure enough we saw ‘giants’ there, obstacles that needed overcoming and we had to throw our preconceptions and assumptions and yield more fully to God’s will. But we went, we saw, we analyzed and we brought back fruit. Though the entire nation didn’t assemble for our report, we each gave our report via e-mail (modern-day spies). The net of the reports is that… God is good!

I’m looking forward to continuing this study tomorrow as much as I’m looking forward to camp.


שָׁלֹם
(Shalom)

Carl

[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.