Out of Egypt
Scripture Reading — Numbers 13:1-3, 26-31; 14:1-9
Caleb … said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”
—Numbers 13:30-31
One of the great pilgrimages of Scripture is the trek of the peo-ple of Israel from Egypt, where they had been slaves, to the promised land of Canaan. It’s an account of great adventure but also great tragedy. After seeing how God rescued them through amazing miracles, how could the people not trust the Lord Almighty as they stood at the door to the promised land?
Yet, amazingly, that is what happened. After witnessing the great works of the Lord in their escape from Egypt—the ten plagues, the walk through the Red Sea on dry land, the destruc-tion of Pharaoh’s army (Exodus 7-15)—the people of Israel showed a great lack of confidence in God when they reached the land of promise. Rather than having confidence that the Lord would again do as he had promised, they rejected the advice of Caleb and Joshua, who trusted the Lord. So the people paid a heavy price. Their desert wanderings for the next forty years were a testimony to their lack of faith in God.
In our own lives, God often provides abundantly for us also—and yet, when we’re faced with a challenge, we fail to trust that he will bring us through.
The Lord has promised our salvation. Let’s hold firm to his promises!
Lord of history, the past, present, and future are in your hands. You know all things and work in all things for good. Lead us by your promises. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
About the author — Jason Zuidema
Jason Zuidema lives in Repentigny, Quebec, with his wife, Anna, and their three children. He is a graduate of Calvin Theological Seminary and currently serves as executive director of the North American Maritime Ministry Association. He is the author of a special Seafarers edition of Today devotions published by ReFrame Media in 2012.
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