After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel at Kadesh in the wilderness of Paran. They reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land. This was their report to Moses: “We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country – a land flowing with milk and honey. Here is the kind of fruit it produces. But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak!”
But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. “Let’s go at once to take the land” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!”
But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. “We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!”
Joshua and Caleb said to all the people of Israel, “The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land! And if the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us safely into that land and give it to us. It is a rich land flowing with milk and honey. Do not rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord is with us! Don’t be afraid of them!”
– Numbers 13:25-28, 30-31; 14:7-9
This scripture is a part of the Exodus story. Leading up to this moment, the Israelites led by Moses, had left their slavery in Egypt. God had seen their suffering and then performed many miraculous signs for them to be led safely away from the Pharaoh and the Egyptian army – through the plagues, his guidance through the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire, the crossing of the Red Sea, and also providing water, manna, and quail to take care of their needs. At this point in the story, they have arrived at the Promised Land. They sent 12 spies into the area and when they came back, there were two who stood strong in their beliefs that they could enter into the land. But the reports of the other 10 men were mixed with fear and discouragement.
The Israelites allowed fear and their sense of not being enough to keep them from all that God had promised them. This scripture leads into the Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years before they were able to enter the Promised Land. A whole generation of Israelites were not able to experience this land but lived the rest of their life in the wilderness. They looked at the strength and size of their opponents and compared that to what they felt about themselves. They forgot to look at the strength of God on their side when making their decision.
Sometimes we may do the same in our life. We compare ourselves to others or we are overwhelmed by the greatness of our problems. We may forget to consider God’s strength and help to us. If we move forward on thinking that we are not enough, then we may miss out on experiencing more fully God’s greatest blessings to us. Through it all, no matter what, God is always faithful and present, just as he was for the Israelite people. Don’t let your fear or your belief that you are not good enough stop you from moving forward into the best God has for you today. With God’s help, you are enough to face whatever fears or problems come your way.
Amy Givens, Director of Youth Ministries
