Numbers 32: 2-5 - So they came to Moses
and Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community, and said, “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh,Sebam, Nebo and
Beon— the land the Lord subdued before
the people of Israel—are suitable for livestock, and your servants have livestock.
If we have found favor in your eyes,” they said, “let
this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the
Jordan.”
Posed to go over the Jordan River and receive the promise
they had been wandering for 40 years… 2 of the tribes approach Moses and Eleazar
to ask for the land east of the Jordan.
It looked perfect for the livestock they raised…and they saw potential
in repairing the cities they had just conquered and destroyed. They saw their
promised land ...and wanted to stop here.
Moses was angry at first…seeing the same scene play out as before...
when God got so angry at them for being scared to go to war….he let them wander
for 40 years while all the unbelievers died out. Even if this land felt like
their perfect place…it was not fair that the others would still endure many
wars to completely take over the Promised Land on the other side of the Jordan.
They ended up compromising….Moses agreed to give them the land they wanted…on
the condition that the army of these two tribes would go with them to fight…and
not return until the Promised Land was completely subdued.
Was their choice selfish…perhaps. Did they settle for less
than what God had to offer them…absolutely. Did God bless them anyway…yes. Does
it send my heart and mind into a reflective state of what great blessings I
might have missed because I settled so many times…..big time. Here’s the
biggest question…how much of God do I not know…because I stopped searching for
him when things were good? Have I become to content with what I know of God to
stop diving deeper into his word or learning to seek him in prayer on deeper
and deeper levels? Have I become complacent with where I am with God?
Guilty as usual. God never wastes my time with him. This
morning I am hit smack in the face with how much like these 2 tribes I am. To
be completely honest…I have sat down over the last two days…no thoughts as to
what to write….content to leave the computer and say…I will write tomorrow. I
blamed it on writers block….but now I see it as complacency. Thanks and praise
to God for allowing me to see how wrong I was….before I felt I could go without
blogging for any number of days. This is my lifeline…my super up close
meditation time over God’s word. Shame on me for ever thinking that is was okay
to skip it for any reason.
We can become complacent in many areas of our Christian
growth…not just in study of his word and prayer. Is your worship of God too
routine… are you going to church services just out of habit…or are you actively
seeking God’s presence while you are there. How about your service areas…have
you done the same old jobs for God for years…or is God leading you to stretch
your abilities into new ways to share his love. The more content you become
with who you are to God now…the weaker your faith will become in the long run. It
is another way to be lukewarm… and
the dangers of that are written in Revelation 3:15-17… “I know your deeds, that
you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 'So because you
are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of
nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor
and blind and naked.”
Father…thank you for the reminder that complacency is a
dangerous weapon of satan. Forgive me for
the many times I have been lukewarm….content with the relationship I have with
you. Push me Lord to become warmer…even hot…so that I can see the next level of
your love and learn to spread it to others.
Amen.
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