“So it came to pass…”

Deuteronomy 2:16

“So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the people, That the LORD spake…” Deuteronomy 2:16-17

Here we see that the Lord reminds the people about the experience of the wilderness.  Israel had the opportunity to enter the land of promise some forty years earlier.  Israel failed to follow the direction of the Lord and thus the men of war (men who were old enough to go to war) died.

The book of Hebrews, in the first few chapters deals with that issue, and the application of failure to follow God's directions.

Even when God's directions are not understood, and we can't see the end of the matter, we are still left to make a choice about following God's directions. or our own thinking.

When God clearly tells us what is right, and what we should do, unbelief is a disease that will plague us - and those we love!

Hebrews 3:19 concludes that those men of war could not go into the land of promise because of unbelief.

Hebrews 4:2 concludes that faith was the missing ingredient. They heard the message (the gospel) and did not believe.

Rest comes when we place our faith (belief) in the promises of God.  Rest… that illusive, much sought after commodity, is promised by God but we must mix God’s promises and directions with faith (belief).

Are we faithful in, the matter of giving of our resources?  God directs us in his Word and yet we think we know best.  What about the matter of telling others about Jesus?  The Holy Spirit gives us a nudge and we ignore it or make excuses to ourselves.  (Adapted from Pastor JD Strain)

May we choose to always follow God’s direction, not our own thinking.