Today’s Reading: Num. 20-22 & Mark 7:1-13
Today’s Reflection: Numbers 21:4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
Do not lose sight of your destination because of the journey. Too often we forget that we are headed somewhere! But wait…are we? May I say, that’s up to you? Understand that when you focus entirely on the journey and lose sight of the final destination, you have become a person with no vision and therefore no direction, left only to get snake-bitten and poisoned to death in the harsh wilderness of your bitter complaints. Though the wilderness was a harsh way to go for Israel in order to get them over to the Promised Land, it was the ONLY way to go. A closer look into today’s reading will also reveal that the wilderness wasn’t just necessary because of its geographical position, but it was also necessary because of its testing qualities. God had to gravitate Israel from weak and beggarly, slave-like tendencies, to a strong and resourceful, kingdom-minded people in order for them to be prepared inwardly to manage and handle the blessing He had waiting for them. SO, their faith was to stand trial through the wilderness. If they could handle the pressure, then they could handle the promise. HOWEVER, many did not pass the test. Instead of remembering who God has been and presently was to them, they forgot His mighty works and reverted back to natural-minded ordinary means of provisions that required no Divine purpose, but yet cost them their freedom. Yet, they thought they’d rather be back in Egypt than to have to learn to trust God day by day for their provisions, even though they were now a free people. That said, God then did something very powerful; He required that they look to the thing that they detested the most for healing. He forced them to look at their tribulation as their triumph. As snake-bitten friends, family, and neighbors were already dying because of the snakes, those who were still breathing had two choices; either continue to complain and die in their soul-poisoned condition of bitterness, or trust God to turn the very thing that was cursing them into a blessing. It was really just about perspective. So, as they looked to the fiery serpent which Moses lifted up, all who were bitten and looked on the serpent were healed. Here’s the word; instead of cursing your journey, your situation, your condition, your trial, or what have you, simply take another look at it from a different perspective, asking God to turn your trial into a blessing, and He will do just that. Now, will YOU pass the test?
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copyright © by Gary D. Caudill
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