It’s a well-known fact in my house that there is no 2-hour project I can’t complete in 3 weeks! Between my lack of ability and my stubbornness, it always takes me much longer than it should.
But my ineptness is nothing compared to the total disaster the Israelites made of their journey from Egypt to Canaan. By the most direct route, it was a trip of some 250 to 300 miles. It took them about 3 months to reach Mt. Sinai. But from there to Kadesh-Barnea (on the southern edge of Canaan) was only an 11-day journey (Deut 1:2). So they SHOULD HAVE been able to complete the whole thing in 4 months at most.
Yet by some estimates, the Israelites traveled not 250 miles in 4 months, but closer to 5300 miles in 4 decades! Why? Because they failed to obey when God told them to go straight into their land. Instead of listening to God’s promise, they listened to their fears. And in doing so, they abandoned God’s path and followed their own. Big, long, tragic mistake. Oh how I wish I couldn’t relate!
While His people abandoned Him, God never abandoned them. Despite their lack of faith, God remained faithful. He remembered His covenant. So for 40 years, God provided for their every need. Bread fell from heaven as manna (Exodus 16:4), water flowed from rocks (17:6), quail blew in with the wind (16:13), and not so much as a single sandal or shirt needed to be replaced (Deut 29:5).
Friends, when God speaks to us today, we’d be well-served to listen. Yes, it may seem costly to do so, but to ignore His path is to create for ourselves a lot of pain. He will never abandon us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), but why make the journey any more difficult than it already is. If those original Israelites were here, they’d tell us His way is always better! –Dave
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