In Faith
3 min read
“Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”
Numbers 14:9
The other scouts were saying that the land would devour them, but Joshua and Caleb say that they would devour the people of the land. What a difference faith makes.
Many people want to know what Good’s will is for them with respect to common human matters: school, career, marriage, etc. All such things are subject to God’s common grace. Generally speaking, God gives all humanity an opportunity to live and prosper. There is hardly any reason to pray about them.
We SHOULD pray about such things. We should pray, “Lord, if You are willing, may I pursue such and such?” And if the Lord is not willing, He will be sure to close that opportunity.
The same is true for matters of the church. HOWEVER, when it comes to church matters, God’s will and purpose for us has been revealed in the Scriptures. As with the Israelites, what we need to do is to act in faith.
We should notice a couple of things here too. First, the will of God was for all of Israel, not just for, say, Caleb or Joshua. Second, God will never force His people to do His will, but He presents opportunities for His people to act in faith.
Maybe we could add a third something to notice. Whether we act in faith of act in rebellion, there are repercussions to deal with and work to do.. The only question for ourselves is whether we want to be in God’s will or outside of it.
Father, Your goodness knows no bounds, and You draw us into Your goodness through the light of Your word. Forgive us when we make Your will for us so complicated and hidden for us. But open up our hearts to Your will. Open up our hearts to Your goodness. Let us live in the center of Your will so that we might experience Your goodness. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
