"It so happened that after Pharaoh released the people, God didn't lead them by the road through the land of the Philistines, which was the shortest route, for God thought, 'If the people encounter war, they'll change their minds and go back to Egypt.'" (Exodus 13:17, MSG)
God is so kind. I mean really, He is ALWAYS looking out for His children and trying to do best for them. But how often do we want to go the shortest route? We are constantly telling God, "Look, I know you know best and all BUT it would seem to me that it would really make the most sense to do it this way." AS IF He needs our finite knowledge to make the best decision. His goal is to get us OUT of slavery and INTO the promised land that He has for us. We need to embrace the journey because it is in the small things along the way that we are molded and shaped into vessels for Him. Day after day I am guilty of second guessing the goodness of God (aren't we so glad that He never grows tired of us or of giving us another chance?). Just yesterday I had to realign myself with the goodness of God to remember that His ways are perfect, and honestly, I have to everyday. It's not a one time ordeal. I want to live from heaven to earth, but the fact of the matter is that I'm surrounded by earth and I have to CHOOSE to align myself with Christ and His purposes for the earth. So here's to this rainy morning, remembering that His ways are perfect, His nature is good, and His kindness is incomprehensible.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Grasshopper Identity
"We saw the Nephilim [giants], and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers..." Numbers 13:33
This verse hit me afresh tonight. It comes from the passage that tells of the twelve spies going to scout out the land of Canaan. Upon returning, Caleb and Joshua encouraged the people of Israel saying, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” (Numbers 13:30) Caleb and Joshua knew the nature of God. They believed His promises. They didn't get caught up comparing their insufficiencies and inadequacies against the things they saw. They knew what the Lord had said, and they believed it. Later they urged Israel saying, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” (Numbers 14:7-9)
Why is it that we are willing to settle so quickly? Why don't we hold out for what He's promised? Graham Cooke wrote, "When we fail to respond to the overtures of God, we remain the product of all our yesterdays." The overtures of God... I LOVE THAT. An overture, by definition, is an introduction to something more substantial. God longs to introduce us to something more substantial, something greater. Why do we turn back to slavery instead, just as the Israelites did? We must stand firm until the breakthrough comes. There is no turning back. We must see ourselves through the identity that was put on us by Christ's death, the identity substantiated through the Holy Spirit living inside of us. THE LORD DOES NOT SEE US AS GRASSHOPPERS SO NEITHER SHOULD WE. He sees us as His beloved children whom He fights for. We are His instruments of battle. We are not what our past says about us. We are what Christ says about us. The old is gone and the new has come. So put on your helmet of salvation and pick up your shield of faith. The Lion of Judah is walking beside you, and He says that you were made for this. It's time to yet again receive the promise of God and remember who He is. With Him, we can stand up against the enemy and receive the territory that God has for us.
Does your self-esteem match up with the Holy Spirit's confidence? Don't convince yourself that you're a grasshopper. Stand up. He believes in you.
This verse hit me afresh tonight. It comes from the passage that tells of the twelve spies going to scout out the land of Canaan. Upon returning, Caleb and Joshua encouraged the people of Israel saying, "Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” (Numbers 13:30) Caleb and Joshua knew the nature of God. They believed His promises. They didn't get caught up comparing their insufficiencies and inadequacies against the things they saw. They knew what the Lord had said, and they believed it. Later they urged Israel saying, “The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.” (Numbers 14:7-9)
Why is it that we are willing to settle so quickly? Why don't we hold out for what He's promised? Graham Cooke wrote, "When we fail to respond to the overtures of God, we remain the product of all our yesterdays." The overtures of God... I LOVE THAT. An overture, by definition, is an introduction to something more substantial. God longs to introduce us to something more substantial, something greater. Why do we turn back to slavery instead, just as the Israelites did? We must stand firm until the breakthrough comes. There is no turning back. We must see ourselves through the identity that was put on us by Christ's death, the identity substantiated through the Holy Spirit living inside of us. THE LORD DOES NOT SEE US AS GRASSHOPPERS SO NEITHER SHOULD WE. He sees us as His beloved children whom He fights for. We are His instruments of battle. We are not what our past says about us. We are what Christ says about us. The old is gone and the new has come. So put on your helmet of salvation and pick up your shield of faith. The Lion of Judah is walking beside you, and He says that you were made for this. It's time to yet again receive the promise of God and remember who He is. With Him, we can stand up against the enemy and receive the territory that God has for us.
Does your self-esteem match up with the Holy Spirit's confidence? Don't convince yourself that you're a grasshopper. Stand up. He believes in you.
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