The Heart of Faith

In the travel industry, recce tours are standard. Tour operators do not want surprises and shocks, and so they send a team ahead to check the places of interest and work out the logistics before they offer it as a package to their clients.  This way, they can plan the time effectively and avoid unexpected pitfalls.  But in the case of the Israelites journey to the Promised Land, they did not need one.  The Lord knew that they had not passed that way before, and so the Lord Himself went before them, leading the way.  The Lord had already told them that it was a land flowing with milk and honey.  There was nothing for the people to find out about their destination before getting there. The Lord had it all planned centuries back!  

When the Israelites reached Kadesh Barnea, Moses told the people to go up and possess the land without fear or discouragement. But the people came to Moses and said, "… Let us send men before us, and let them search out the land for us, and bring back word to us of the way by which we should go up, and of the cities into which we shall come" (Deut 1:20-23).  And Moses agreed!  The Lord must have been quite disappointed.  When the Lord saw the intent of their hearts, He said to send one from each tribe to spy the land (Numbers 13:2).

When we desire something very much, if it is under the permissible will of God, God allows us to have it.  But it may not be the best for us.  The spies still had the opportunity to respond in faith.  Having experienced the power of God in their journey of deliverance, they could have seen with their eyes of faith what Caleb and Joshua saw!  But a heart of faith is needed to have eyes of faith! Only then can we take a step of faith!  The Bible says, "faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word about Christ" (Romans 10:17).  Unless we are rooted in the Word, we will not stand the tests of faith.  My friend, may the Lord help us to trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding so that the Lord Himself will go before us and make the crooked paths straight!

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