So near yet so far… what a pity!
The Israelites were right at the doorstep of the promised land after going through so much: enemies in pursuit, complaints about water; grumbling about food; death/pestilence in wilderness for disobedience/idolatry etc. And just when God led them to the entrance of the Promised Land, their final response was ‘Mission Impossible!’ They chose to believe the 10 of the 12 spies who said that the land was occupied by giants; that these people were too strong for them. Their ultimate rebellion: disobedience caused by unbelief.
Deut 1:32-33 But for all this, you did not trust the Lord your God, who goes before you on your way, to seek out a place for you to encamp, in fire by night and cloud by day, to show you the way in which you should go.
So with our lives, how often do we commit the sin of doubt and disobedience and rob ourselves of the blessings of entering the promise land?
How forgetful we are that we do not remember how God went before us on our way – how He led us in the past – in fire by night or cloud by day – showing us to where we are today?
A friend encouraged me that living life is putting one foot in front of the other – one step at a time. The Israelites had to step onto the Red Sea after the water parted. Then one level up, they had to step into the waters of the Jordan first before the waters parted. So with us children of God, we need to step out in faith because we know our God is faithfully leading us.
We need discernment and courage to live life as God leads us: discerning ears to know His voice and faithful heart to trust His wisdom. Beware of being in the state of ‘so near yet so far’ because the final destination might just be one step away!
