"GRAPES OR GIANTS?"

In Numbers chapter 13 you can read the story of the children of Israel when they were on the very eve of claiming the great inheritance that had been promised to the father Abraham so long before. They were encamped just outside of the Promised Land and the time had come to make it their home. But, as is God's nature, it would not be completely free. They would have to take the land by force. God instructed Moses to send out spies to scout out the land…to look at the soil and examine the fruit of the land (scripture tells us it was "grape" time), and to look at the cities and the people, Moses did so and after forty days the twelve spies came back with their report. They brought back samples of grapes, pomegranates and figs. Verse 23 says that it took two men to carry a cluster of grapes. But…the people were giants; the children of Anak; the descendents of giants and their cities were well fortified. When the spies reported on their findings, Joshua and Caleb wanted to go at once, with God, and take the land. They only had eyes for the "grapes." The other spies, however, could only see the "giants." The multitude became so enflamed they wanted to kill Moses and go back to slavery in Egypt.

Often we arrive in places in our spiritual lives when we know what we ought to do, what we must do, but there are "giants" standing in our way. Do you see the great reward in doing God's will or are you only able to focus on the problems that are before you?" Are you able to see the "grapes" or do you only see the "giants?"

God expressed His great displeasure in the Israelites by denying them entry into the Promised Land for forty additional years. An entire generation died in the wilderness of Judea because of negativism over what God wanted them to do.

Where is our faith? The Bible shows us the true nature of the God we worship. We see, on many occasions, what one individual can accomplish when God is with him. David, Daniel, Samson, Paul, etc. We see that one, plus God, is an army. In our walk with God we must see the grapes and not the giants! "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31


 

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