“For the people of Israel walked forty years in the
wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt,
perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; The Lord swore to
them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their
fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey.” Joshua 5:6
Good morning, before we get into the scripture I want to share with
you a story from when I was in high school. It was my freshman year at East
Wake high school where I was in marching band. We were learning how to march
the box where I seemed to look lost while marching. It caused my band director to call out “Hey Wiggins!” I
responded, “Yes sir!” He then asked me “Are you Jewish?” A little bit confused
at this part I said, “no sir” and he said, “Well then, why do you look like
your moseying around in the desert”. I tell you this story because it is time
we stop moseying around in the desert.
Do we remember why Israel was wandering around in the desert for 40 years? It was not just one act of
disobedience. The Israelites were delivered out of slavery from Egypt, as soon
as they got out of Egypt the built a golden calf and worshiped it. The first time they saw the land that
God had promised them they sent spies to check out the land all but two came
back and said that the enemy was too strong and that they could not win the
battle. Even Moses, the mighty man of God, disobeyed God (Numbers 20:11). Time
after time we see the Israelites complaining and not following God despite the
fact that it was God who delivered them from Egypt. In Numbers 16:25-32 you see
the story of men who challenged Moses and whether or not he was sent from God.
God opened up the earth and swallowed these men whole with their entire
families. The point is they wandered in the wilderness because of their
disobedience, and lack of faith in God.
If we look at the journey taken by Israel to get to the Promised Land,
we can compare it to our walk with God. As mentioned in the earlier devotions this
week, Egypt can be looked at as our past lives. As my pastor would call it our
BC lives (Before Christ). They were freed from their bondage by God and by
miracles of God. But as soon as they were freed the disobedience kicked in. They
decided it was better to live as a slave in Egypt than to go to the Promised
Land. Take a look at our walk with Christ. How many of us fall into and get
stuck wandering in the desert because of our disobedience to God? We know His word and His will but we
don’t do it. God’s plan was not for Israel to wander in the wilderness for 40
years, they did that to themselves because of their lack of faith.
So many
Christians get stuck wandering in the wilderness and not advancing to the Promised
Land. You have to understand that, personally, when I talk about the Promised
Land I am not talking about heaven, I am talking about what God wants us to
accomplish while we are here on this earth. Our promised land, whether it is a
job that God has intended for us, or a certain city he wants us to be. Too many
of us never make it to where God has intended our lives to go, because we are
stuck wandering in the wilderness. It’s time to stop wandering and it’s time to become men and women of
faith; to go where we are commanded to go to finish the race that God has laid
out before us. To not put things into human perspective but rather to
understand that all things are possible when God is involved.
Let us pray: Dear Father, teach us how to stop wandering around the
desert Lord. Show us Your way and Your will. Teach us how to be obedient
through Your word. Bring the right
people into our lives to help guide us along the way. Let us not be afraid to
take the leap of faith Lord and remind us that you are always there with us. In
Jesus name Amen.
David Wiggins
Youth Pastor
www.nbcornerstone.com
