![]() ![]() God is our great Provider, and you can continue leading from a position of faith in the one who is always faithful, even when our circumstances are so unpredictable. So if you are a Christian leader right now, and you’re weary from the weight of decisions that need to be made without enough information and without enough resources, money, or time, be encouraged. “Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven these people, from Egypt until now” (vs. He pleads with God for mercy on their behalf. But he responds -to their grumbling, rebellion, and threats -with intercession and compassion rather than anger, frustration, and control. God offers Moses the chance to leave the people behind and to have his descendants made into a great nation. They spoke to the people in Numbers 14:8-10 saying, “If the LORD delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey…Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us do not fear them.”Īnd Moses did not have that luxury. They knew where their strength truly came from. They led from a position of faith in God’s power and sovereignty and called others to do the same. But they didn’t do any of that -they stepped out in faith, decided to trust God, and then moved forward in that direction even though it was not the popular choice (and almost got them stoned). Or they could have remained silent, and just let things play out however they were going to play out, and pretended they had no duty in the situation. They could have easily gone along with the reports of the other ten spies and said the same thing. Or whether to close businesses and restaurants and industries that affect people’s families and livelihoods.īut Joshua and Caleb did not have that luxury. Whether or not to cancel church and the sense of community it provides and opt instead for a safer, online experience. But through it all, I have had the luxury of not having to make the really hard decisions -things like whether to close schools and move the entire operation into the virtual world, almost overnight. In the face of sometimes conflicting information about how many people are infected, and how many people are dying, I struggle to know what is best. With each new wave of information or new set of reports, there are decisions to be made about whether we should wear masks, shelter in place, or all go back to work and keep the economy going.Īnd mostly, I just feel a little lost in the chaos. I feel sometimes like that is how I have reacted to COVID-19. They go up, but without God, which results in a colossal failure. Then, once they are told that they will be punished in the wilderness for 40 years, they change their minds and decide they are willing to go take the promised land. They grumble against Moses and Aaron (and, let’s be honest, against God) and rebel against them. The Israelites think it is too risky to go in. The produce of the land is huge! But so are the people! But when they send out spies to have a look and they come back with a mixed report, the chaos ensues. They now stand on the precipice of the promised land, the culmination of all the travel, and manna, and quail. They have followed Moses all the way from Egypt (not without resistance, mind you) and at last here they are. Unfortunately, and to my disappointment, I find myself most like the people in the story that get it wrong. While Joshua and Caleb are confident that, with God’s help, they can be successful and take the land, the other ten spies speak against them and spread fear among the people (Numbers 13-14).ĭo you resonate with anyone in this story? Unfortunately, I do.Īs I write this, I see a little too much of myself in the people of Israel. Joshua and Caleb’s report is different from the others, both in content and in attitude. The two younger men, along with ten other spies, were sent out from among the Israelites to explore the land and come back with their report about the long-awaited for milk and honey. You are no doubt familiar with the story. Which brings me to Moses, Joshua and Caleb encamped at Kadesh-Barnea. Or they don’t, and either way, it is often a tough and thankless job to make decisions in times like ours. Sometimes we're missing even the most important pieces of information.ĭuring these times, leaders step forward and have to make decisions anyway, despite the disadvantage of not knowing everything they need to know. But there are many times when the way forward is difficult or filled with fear, and we do not have all the information we need to make the decision. It is easy to make decisions when the path is clear, we have all the information we need, and everyone agrees on the decision. ![]()
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