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August 3, 2008
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=========================== TODAY'S ARTICLE ==========================
Of Grasshoppers and Giants, by Russ Lawson
I was reading in the Bible recently, going over the story of the
Children of Israel as the traveled through the wilderness (Numbers 13).
They had reached a point where God basically says, "It's time for you
to stop wandering and head to the land I promised you."
You're probably familiar with the story. Moses sends 12 spies into the
land of Canaan to check it out. Actually the word translated as "spies"
could literally be translated as those who would survey the land in
preparation for dividing it between the Israelite tribes.
But as you probably also know, things didn't work out so well with
those spies. They returned after 40 days and 10 of them were scared to
death. While they carried back wonderful proclamations and examples of
what a wonderful land it was, they forgot God. They said, "There we saw
the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were
like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight" (Numbers
13:33 NKJV).
Another translation puts it this way, "We even saw giants there, the
descendants of Anak. We felt like grasshoppers next to them, and that's
what we looked like to them!" (NLT)
That statement may not sound earth-shattering to you, but these men
swayed the thinking of a million people by those few words. The people
of Israel rebelled and refused to accept this great opportunity God had
given them. Their fear caused them to forget God.
They forgot the plagues he brought upon Egypt. They forgot God's
preservation of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In short they forgot their
family history. They forgot the parting of the Red Sea, They forgot the
Manna and quail and most importantly they forgot their relationship
with the creator of the Universe
What is it that you fear?
Is it enough to cause you to forget the power of the creator?
Some of the most powerful words ever written!
Is it enough to cause you to stop trusting the one who gives you life
eternal?
I wonder how far we could travel, how many enemies we could conquer, if
we would only put fear aside?
Our problem is often that of the Israelite spies, "We feel like
grasshoppers next to them." We need to go ahead in spite of the
pounding in the heart that says, "Turn Back!"
Let me encourage you to reach down into your soul and find the faith
and trust in God to face your next challenge, knowing that God is by
your side. The apostle Paul wrote gives us some of the most powerful
words ever written regarding God being on our side! Notice just some of
what he says:
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is
God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died
-- more than that, who was raised to life -- is at the right hand
of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from
the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or
famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your
sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be
slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us (Romans 8:33-37 NIV).
We are "more than conquerors through him who loved us!" Let's not cave
in to fear, but step out and claim the promise!
---------
(c) 2008 Russ Lawson <rlawson@wclo.net>, Messages from the Heart
<http://www.mfth.net/aboutus.html>. All rights reserved.
RELATED LINKS:
* In This World
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200702/20070211_inthisworld.html
* Whom Shall I Fear?
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200802/20080203_whomshallifear.html
* The Discipline of Difficulty
http://www.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/my_utmost/utm.cgi?0802
* Messages from the Heart
http://www.mfth.net/aboutus.html
This article can be found on the web at:
http://www.heartlight.org/articles/200808/20080803_giants.html
=========================== FEATURED PRODUCT =========================
CURE FOR THE COMMON LIFE: LIVING IN YOUR SWEET SPOT, by Max Lucado
In Cure for the Common Life, Max Lucado offers practical tools for
exploring and identifying your own uniqueness, putting your strengths
to work, and living in your "sweet spot" for the rest of your life.
http://shopping.heartlight.org/cgi-shl/link?256
Find more great books, CDs and videos at the Heartlight store! With
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