Change is a part of life. Some change is easier than others. It doesn’t take courage to change your socks or shoes. The change from the busyness of life to the stillness of nature is a blessing. But when faced with a momentous move, a different way of life, a change in circumstances or a myriad of other situations that threaten your security, courage is needed to go on. The Israelites had faced those challenging changes.
In Deuteronomy 1:30-32 we read:
“The Lord your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes; And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the Lord thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place. Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God.”
From hopeless slavery to traversing the wilderness as free men. From all that is familiar to unfamiliar surroundings. Trading the security of a house for the insecurity of roaming the land. The Israelites know all about change and the courage needed to proceed.
Before their eyes, God turned their hopeless situation around through His power. They walked out of Egypt because of God. The Red Sea was just another situation to show the people His power. As they traversed the wilderness, God gave water out of a rock, manna from heaven, and quail blown in from the sea. Miracle after miracle was given to the Israelites.
Change requires Remembrance
They knew the comfort of God’s guidance–in the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. They became comfortable and secure in their travels. Living in tents became their way of life. They found in it security because of the familiarity of their routine. God had guided them on their journey. He was found faithful to meet their every need. There was the Sinai experience, the covenant established with God Himself and the tabernacle built for the people to come and worship God.
Now, their journey has taken them to Kadesh-barnea, near the Jordan River. Excitement is high. God has promised them a new land, a land filled with the fruits of the vine, lush fields and sweet fragrance. Spies were sent out to scout the land. A report was made. The people hear a first hand account of all the goodness of this land but they also hear of the problems they will have to face.
Change was once again facing them.
God had provided in the past but now their fears grew mountain high in face of the challenges ahead. They forgot one of the key requirements in facing change. That of remembrance. The people turned back to their tents, resisting the change, wanting the familiar, and forgetting that God is the unchangeable God even amidst change.
With a sad and broken heart God looks at His people and a judgment is pronounced because of their unbelief. God had been there every step of the way. He wasn’t going to let them continue the journey alone. In spite of the miracles of the past they forgot God’s working and grieved the heart of God with their unbelief. “Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God.”
Change requires reliance
Changes come to all of us. Change in our weight, change in our diet, change in our eyesight. Life is full of change. When the journey of life brings you to change that is a life-threatening diagnosis or circumstances that turn your dreams into ashes do we face the changes with head held high, and the knowledge in our heart that God is leading the way? When circumstances take you away from what you have held dear or changes the dynamics of a family do we continue to rely on the heart of our God in the midst of our trying and heart-rending situation?
Do we remember all that God has done heretofore and know that He will continue to be all we need for the future? Do we rejoice in the blessings He has given and look forward to what He will continue to do?
During this season in our lives God has spoken to me. The knowledge of change has brought an insecurity, with unfamiliar challenges ahead and more lessons to be learned. I can turn back to my familiar “tent’ and dig in my heels and resist change and become like the Israelites who broke the heart of God with their unbelief or I can move ahead with a reliance in the God who has brought me thus far.
Change requires rejoicing
I rejoice in the fact that God is faithful every step of the way. He is showing me His promises are unchanging, His love is steadfast and my hope secure in Him as I face yet another change in this life. I rise to the challenge ahead because I can place my life and heart into the hands of my unchanging God.
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