The Girl in the MiddleSample

GIANTS IN THE LAND

Generations earlier in the story of Israel, we get a powerful glimpse of how following God in the middle moments shapes and reflects our understanding of who He is.

The Isra­elites had the Promised Land in sight, and the time was finally approaching to leave the wilderness. Years upon years of promises had led up to this moment.

Moses commissioned twelve spies to scope out the land and bring back a report. When the spies came back, the Israelites gathered to hear their report. Ten of the twelve spies delivered their news, terri­fied. They spoke fearfully about how the Canaanites were stron­ger than they were: “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them” (Numbers 13:33 NIV). As they shared their negative report, fear began to take over the crowd of Israelites to the point that the whole nation was in shambles.

One of the other two spies, Caleb, told everyone to stop the nonsense. He said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it” (Numbers 13:30 NIV). But the Israelites pro­ceeded to cry all night long, even thinking it would be better if they went back to Egypt where they had been slaves!

While the Israelites complained, Caleb and an­other spy named Joshua tore their clothes to show their deep grief over the nation’s lack of trust in God. They boldly started telling the whole crowd that because God was with them, they didn’t need to be afraid.

Joshua and Caleb had seen the same land and the same giants the other ten spies had seen. Why did they respond so differently in this middle moment? Caleb and Joshua were not held in fear’s thrall as the others were, because God’s prom­ises shaped their perspective. Their knowledge of God, their remembrance of His Word, and their recollection of what He had done fueled their faith in Him. Because they remem­bered God’s faithfulness, they trusted Him to be faithful again.

We too can find freedom from fear’s grip, not because our circumstances change but because our perspective of God changes. With overwhelming grace, God delights in showing us who He really is so we can move into new lands with confidence.

What is causing you fear today? How would your perspective shift if you viewed this middle moment through the lens of who God is?