Categories
Deuteronomy Devotionals

How we see God

The Lord brought us out of the land of Egypt to hand us over to the Amorites in order to destroy us, because he hates us. (Deuteronomy 1:27)

The Israelites’ attitude really struck me today.

How we see God has a huge impact on how we relate to him.

The Israelites were convinced that God hated them.

Somehow they had forgotten that God had fought for them. That he had carried them through the wilderness. That he had led and protected them day and night. (Deuteronomy 1:30-33)

As a result, they refused to enter the good land God was giving them. Instead, they wanted to go back to slavery in Egypt. (Numbers 14:3-4)

It’s easy to say “God is good” and “God loves me.”

But do we really believe it? What do our actions show? Do we believe these truths enough to trust and obey him in everything?

The question I’m asking, that we must all ask is, “God, what do I really think about you?”

Categories
Numbers Devotionals

Eyes of faith. Eyes of fear.

When Moses sent them to scout out the land of Canaan, he told them, “…Be courageous.” (Numbers 13:17, 20)

Those words really stuck out to me this morning.

One of the things Moses told the twelve scouts before they went out to spy out Canaan was to be courageous.

But only two of them, Joshua and Caleb, came back courageous.

Why? Because they had eyes of faith. They saw how big God is.

The rest of them came back with eyes filled with fear.

Why? They could only see how big the Canaanites were.

How often do we fear the future, how often do we fear where God is leading us because we forget how big he is?

And just as importantly, how good he is.

I happened to be praying through Psalm 16 today, and verses 5-8 seemed particularly appropriate.

Lord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing; you hold my future.

The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

I will bless the Lord who counsels me—even at night when my thoughts trouble me.

I always let the Lord guide me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 16:5-8)