Love That Never Fails

29. Perseverence

It's easy to fall into grumbling mode when things are difficult! Sometimes in order to get to the 'promised land' experience in our life, we need to just hold on and keep a good attitude, while we trust God to bring us through.  It's important not to lose sight of where we are going or give up on believing God's promises as the Israelites did:

"All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.""
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭14:2-4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How sad, after all they had been through! We need to be focused and keep our eyes firmly on the One who is leading us. Don't look back to how things used to be, as the Israelites did when they kept thinking of Egypt. They had forgotten how bad it was to be bound up in slavery —why would they ever want to go back there?

This reminds me that sometimes as Christians, we can be tempted to go back to our life before being saved, a life where we were slaves to sin! We must not lose sight of how far we have come since being set free from the chains that bound us! We are free indeed!

Emotions were running high as the grumbling continued amongst God's chosen people. Joshua and Caleb tried to remind them of what was ahead:

"Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us."
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭14:6-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Sadly, emotions continued to spiral out of control, leading to a very devastating outcome for everyone:

"Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected. But as for you, your bodies will fall in this wilderness. Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness."
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭14:30-33‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Don't miss out on all that God has prepared for you today. None of us would really choose to end up wandering in the wilderness, so be ready with perseverance, to continue running the race, despite how things look around us:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:1-3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Let's pray:

Heavenly Father,

Grumbling seems to come so naturally when I can't see the way ahead. Give me a grateful heart as I consider all You have done for me these past few months. Help me to fix my eyes on Jesus so I don't get caught up in negative thinking and miss out on all You have for me. 

These times we are living through are so hard —it's really tough when everything around me seems to have changed. However I don't want to go backwards, missing out on the life You want for me. I certainly do not want to get entangled by my sin!

Please help me to run with perseverance the race marked out for me, trusting You completely with the way forward, so I don't grow weary or lose hope!

Amen.