It’s in What’s Not Said
Well, this week at church hit me a little different.
Maybe you see me doing these blog posts every week & going LIVE to chat about the topics every week, & you think, “How can you say you’re silent? You’re anything but silent about God’s Word!”
But let me tell you, while God has brought me great lengths from where I was at when I launched my website & first blog post nearly 5 years ago… I still have some growing to do.
I used to struggle even with how I write now. I used to sort of “water down” what I wrote to make it more palatable to the general audience because I was so afraid of offending anyone—heaven forbid (it’s “in style” to be offended about literally everything these days, it seems).
But, back then, God chided my heart & put an unrest in me to let me know something was off—that if someone was in search of life-giving, FREEING truth… they wouldn’t get what they were looking for… & if someone didn’t care about that, they wouldn’t have reason to care about my measly blog anyway.
So, considering that I have become more straightforward in my pointing to Who my hope comes from—JESUS—it may seem an exaggeration to say I am sinning through my silence… but I am. It’s in what I choose NOT to say….
Finally Reaching their Promised (by God) Land! But…
At church, our pastor has been walking through the journey of the Israelites in the Old Testament, a common theme being their grumbling (see also: murmuring & complaining aka not going to God & thus trusting Him with it/through it)—it’s pretty much threaded through MUCH of the Old Testament. (Exodus 15:24; Exodus 16:2; Exodus 17:3; Numbers 14:2; Numbers 14:29; Numbers 16:41; Deuteronomy 1:27; Joshua 9:18; Psalm 106:24-25)
Right now, we’re in Numbers 13-14, getting to the part where they have arrived at the land God has PROMISED to give them, has singlehandedly LED them to, after PROVIDING miracle after miracle after MIRACLE to GET them there.
And God tells them, at the beginning of Chapter 13, to send their choicest men to go scout ahead to let the people know what to expect: namely, the beautiful, bountiful promised land’s reality of “a land flowing with milk & honey.” (Exodus 3:16-17; Exodus 33:3)
Well, the guys go, get samples of the land’s bountiful resources, & return to the people to give their report. Now, this was meant to be a scouting mission for the place where GOD called them to go, where GOD promised to provide… NOT a “whether or NOT we should go” type thing.
But that’s exactly how they handled it… as giving their assessment of whether or not they should go… & their assessment was a huge NOPE.
A Faith More in Human Ability or God Ability?
“YES, it’s BEAUTIFUL!”
“YES, it’s everything God said it would be & MORE!”
“YES, it’s AMAZING land!………”
“BUT, the people living there are like giants! & there’s so many of them that we don’t even stand a CHANCE! We need to turn back! We will lose!” (Numbers 13:26-29; Numbers 13:31-33, paraphrase)
RUH-ROH. That was NOT their call to make. That was NOT their assignment! (*But wait, don’t I do that ALL THE TIME when I choose not to do something I OUGHT to do because it makes me uncomfortable??? Oops. I try to OUT-LOGIC GOD.)
But it was effective, as basically EVERYONE came as one accord to agree with those choice men. They did NOT want to risk it. (Numbers 14:1-4; Numbers 14:10) They were SO afraid, in fact, that they were readying to STONE anyone who opposed their idea to give up!
“Then the Lord said to Moses: “How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them?” (Numbers 14:11)
Am I Too Willing to Stand for God’s Leading, Despite the Hatred of the Crowd?
But there were 2 men who chose to look at the roughness of the situation—I mean, if their choicest men were shaking in their boots so eager to get OUT of there, it MUST have been BAD—but these 2 men: Caleb & Joshua, chose to trust not what they could see, but the God Who is GREATER than any obstacles they saw ahead. (Numbers 13:30; Numbers 14:6-9)
They remembered how God rescued them from slavery & oppression in Egypt.
They remembered how God had led them through the wilderness with a pillar of smoke by day & a pillar of fire by night, never leaving them to fend for themselves for one moment.
They remembered the manna food that came from the sky that God provided as their daily sustenance, & the water that miraculously sprung out from the rocks when struck in places with no near water source.
They remembered every bit of God’s power & majesty & provision!
And they looked at the SAME OVERWHELMING odds & said, “You know what, it IS a great obstacle that is NOT humanly possible… BUT GOD IS GREATER.”
And the people wanted to STONE them for proclaiming it! What?! (Numbers 14:10)
What Does It Mean to Live by FAITH?
Living in faith means doing what God says, even if it makes NO SENSE to us.
Living by faith means doing what God says, even if the crowd wants to stone you (or “cancel” you) for it.
Crossroads in your life that change the course of your life may seem insignificant at the time but end up having a HUGE impact. Where will our choices lead us? To mediocre, “good enough” or to God’s BEST for those influenced & impacted by you? Are you influencing the world or is the world influencing you? <–Read a previous post on that, here.
When we say, “But I can’t.” We need to finish that statement with, “But GOD CAN.”
Don’t get caught fixating on avoiding discomfort or struggle versus trusting God is more than sufficient through ANYTHING.
Remember Who He Is
What has God ALREADY gotten you through? Throughout history, what has God ALREADY done?
God’s promises or human obstacles… which will you let rule your path/heart/confidence/life?
If even the GREAT 10 were AFRAID, the obstacles they saw must have been HUGE, but Caleb saw clearly that GOD IS GREATER.
Will you be willing to stand alone or will you hide in the majority?
God’s Ways Lead to the Promised Land
This is where I was convicted in my own heart: God’s way & God’s Truth leading to obedience to His Word & also SALVATION… THAT is the promised land… the good land promised by God.
Will I be courageous in encouraging obedience to God’s will, to give Him glory in ALL things… even the things people love to cancel others for… to seek to honor & please Him with EVERYTHING in life, even if it makes me the hated minority, knowing if God has led it then it IS the “promised land” we seek?
His way leads to LIFE. Am I really committed to believing that ENOUGH to speak up about even those things that the media is quick to stone you with their viral words of hatred?
Will I be like Caleb or like the other guys? Will I trust self or God? Will I protect myself or the Truth of God that sets us free & leads to life everlasting?
My Sin? Silence.
Is comfort so much my idol that I would deny encouragement for people to be free of the payment & guilt of their sin? Or if already free, to find the GOODNESS & BLESSING tucked in living a life of determined, surrendered obedience to God no matter what?
Being a Caleb requires sacrifice, surrender, sometimes ridicule, & sometimes a LONELY standing alone. It’s an obstacle that in my seeking out of comfort, seems NOT humanly possible.
But God makes it all worthwhile.
Who around me will pay the price for my silence?
“And your sons shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and bear the brunt of your infidelity, until your carcasses are consumed in the wilderness.” (Numbers 14:33)
I ask again, who will pay the price for my silence?
God Is My Strength, in Whom I Place My Trust
Why do I think I have to be strong when God Himself promises to be my strength?
What God calls sin, is sin. We can justify it, disbelieve it, ignore it, avoid it, talk around it, feel progressive & forward-thinking about it… but what God calls sin… is SIN.
And judgment day will come.
Don’t make excuses. Don’t make yourself out to be wiser than the One Who MADE you.
Trust HIM over yourself. And if it makes absolutely no sense to you & you just REFUSE to live by it until it makes sense to YOU… let’s just say God understands more than you do & that excuse (saying you have to know as much as God or you refuse to obey Him) will not fly with Him come judgment day. Your choice is your choice & thus your consequences will be your consequences.
Be Careful
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools,” (Romans 1:20-22; Romans 2:15-16)
Shine HOPE by determining NOT to keep quiet… NOT to focus on the HUGE obstacles/struggles ahead… BUT to fix your eyes on REMEMBERING ALL GOD has brought you through & done throughout history… without your help. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Let God be God in your life every day.
Coming Next Week
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A Note from Michelle:
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Fashion as a Force for GOOD:
Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Consider these pieces when shopping for friends, family, or yourself. Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
May 2023 Hope Mail
FOR A LIMITED TIME – Only available during the month of May!
Imagine the joy of opening this May Hope Mail package and discovering these eco-friendly fair-trade earrings! Artisans in India handcraft these elegant Silver Simplicity Earrings. Each earring features six silver-tone ovals linked to smaller circles, creating a beautiful fair-trade fashion statement. Every pair of Silver Simplicity Earrings helps to end poverty cycles and keep families out of the slums of India!
This bright, colorful Aqua Statement Bracelet is handcrafted in India and designed to create a fair-trade fashion statement! Several strands of aqua colored glass seed beads on viscose thread. Each bracelet is finished with knotted ends and fun hot pink tassels on the pull strings. This bracelet is helping women in India leave situations of abuse and discrimination and sending girls to school.
Inspire yourself or someone you love with this exclusive, vinyl, Trades of Hope Esther Sticker with the encouraging message, “Perhaps this is the moment for which you were created.”
*****Every purchase provides safe jobs with fair wages for women in areas of extreme poverty in India where vulnerable women are often exploited by sweatshops and human traffickers.*****
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Love ya lots! Have a wonderful week!
