Dealing with Giants

My message for today came from a story told in the book of Numbers - 13:17 - 14:45.  It's the story of  the Israelites as they came to the border of the promised land.  

Moses arranged for spies to scope things out and when they came back, they had proof that the land was as lush and bountiful as God had told them it was.  BUT, 10 of the 12 spies also told the people that they would NOT be able to possess the land because there were giants living there!  Long story short - the 10 spies succeeded in scaring the people and leading a revolt against Moses & Aaron (which was really a revolt against God's leadership!).  God told them they would not be able to enter the promised land because of it, but would wander in the wilderness until they died & their children would enter the promised land.  At this the people got scared and decided they would go fight the giants after all.  Moses warned them it was too late & they would not be able to defeat their enemies without God's leadership & support - but they were determined - and many died in that battle.

As I thought about this story, I began to see too many parallels with my own life.  I obeyed God when he led us to move to our new home in a new state, and I've been amazed at the miracles performed to get us here.  But I'm afraid I've also done a bit of grumbling.  The new house is needing more work than expected & it is taking longer than expected - and some of it we REALLY don't even know how to fix.  I've found myself getting discouraged at times about the length of time things are taking and comparing my new home negatively with the home I left behind (sounds a bit like the way the Israelites were always longing for the fleshpots of Egypt doesn't it?)  

As I read this story in Numbers, I felt it was a major wake up call for me.  A reminder that God knows all about the giants in the land (those things that seem to loom so large because we aren't sure how to handle them) and he never intended for us to fight them on our own!!! He's the one that will fight those giants!  I do NOT want to rebel against God the way the Israelites did!  And instead of letting the giants discourage me, I choose to put my faith in God to work things out, believing that his plans are for my good. (Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.")

Father, thank you for your gentle reminders in my life.  Thank you for your promises and for all you are doing in my life!!!!  Thank you for this promised land you have brought us to - for our new home and all the good you have planned to bring into our lives here.  We are grateful for your leading and all you are doing on our behalf.  Thank you, Father!

Remembering

I don't know if any of you have this problem, but periodically, I find myself forgetting things.  This has been really brought to my attention the last couple of mornings as I've awakened with a verse in my mind - but before I could get to my Bible and start reading it it evaporated.  I know the verse was different each morning, but that's about all I know.  I couldn't remember anything about it! Both mornings I prayed that it be brought back to mind if it were God's will - but I still didn't remember. It was bad enough the first time it happened, but I found it very frustrating for it to happen again. Yesterday I just let it go and read something else, but it really bothered me that it had happened again this morning. As I was praying about it, the thought came that I could do a search about memory and see if the Bible had something to say about how to improve my memory.

I first looked up the word "memory" itself, but nothing jumped out at me there.  Then I tried the word, "remember" and a passage jumped out at me.  It's found in Numbers 15:38-40.  In the Amplified Bible it says, "Speak to the Israelites and bid them make fringes or tassels on the corners in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and put upon the fringe of the borders or upon the tassel or each corner a cord of blue.  And it shall be to you a fringe or tassel that you may look upon and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, that you may not spy out and follow after [the desires of] your own heart and your own eyes, after which you used to follow and play the harlot [spiritually, if not physically], That you may remember and do all My commandments and be holy to your God."

Wow, I have noticed that it is so easy to forget the things God is teaching me and just follow my natural inclinations, and been so frustrated with my "short memory" in terms of putting into practice what I'm being taught.  Here's an idea from God Himself about how to improve my memory!  The specific idea seems impractical - a blue ribbon and fringe or tassels on all my clothes, but there must be a way to adapt it to work for me.

How can I put this idea to use?  Perhaps I can put notes around my environment - my bedroom or my office or my bathroom perhaps - to help me remember to put these things into practice in my life. Perhaps I could make a necklace or bracelet with things to help me remember.  I think of those charm bracelets that have been so popular where women get different charms to remember specific events in their lives. How about something like that where each charm represents an idea that God and I are working to incorporate in my life? I could even see making a necklace of home-made paper beads that are strung on a blue ribbon. Perhaps I can also start that faithbooking scrapbook that I've been wanting to make. Perhaps I could make it smaller than I had at first thought, so I could carry it with me.

Hmmm, lots of ideas. God, thank you for addressing this issue! Please help me choose those ideas that will work best for me and to actually follow through with them - that I be a "doer" of your word, and not just a "hearer" (James 1:22).  Thank you, Father!