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Read: Numbers 20:14-29; 21:1-6                             Because of the Way!


The people of Israel were discouraged because Edom had refused them passage and now they were forced to continue another way. God had intended that they enter the Promised Land a long time ago; but their unbelief had now put them on a journey of many years in the wilderness. They faced hardships and challenges but God watched over them and brought them through with provision and victory. However, the people soon forgot the goodness of God and grumbled when faced with difficulties. “And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every side” Judges 8:34 Every time they grumbled they displeased God; this was yet another such time.

Their behaviour followed a pattern. When faced with difficulty their first reaction was to find someone to blame. Moses and God were the ones they spoke against. They questioned why they were brought into this situation, forgetting completely that it was their own unbelief and hardness of heart that had prolonged their journeys. They became unthankful and coveted lost “pleasures” of Egypt and finally they grumbled at the provision of God which had sustained them. (Exd: 21:5)God punished them by sending fiery serpents amongst them and many of them died. The people soon realised their foolishness. They had looked at their present situation and forgot that God had led them until now and that this was not the end of their journey.

 Have you become discouraged by the way God is leading you? Every time we look, at where we are, as the end of our journey, we lose focus and get into fear. Gods way takes us through many situations some of them are difficult some of them are easier. His promise is that He will be with us through it all. “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” Isa. 43:2 We need to keep in mind we are only passing through. In our trying times we should remember God has promised to be an ever present help. That is exactly who He is when troubles comes, ever present! “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Ps. 46:1 He is not one to go away when we need Him most, rather, He draws us even closer. The disciple Peter when walking on the water, forgot where he was going, he looked at where he was and became fearful seeing the waves of the sea. His shift of focus was from Jesus into fear. Fear paralyses us and retards our progress. We need to be on guard as to what our focus is on.

Paul the Apostle writes, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”  Phil. 3:12-14  He was an example of one following Christ. We must not grow weary along the way or we too will ‘fall in the wilderness” as many Israelites did and never entered the Promised Land. Our reminder should be that God is with us and will take us through whatever life may present to us.

Jesus reminded us the way is difficult and narrow that leads to life and few find it. Don’t let the way discourage you!  Endure even as Jesus did, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our  faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” Heb. 12: 2. God is fully acquainted with our ways, our way is not hid from Him. He knows the end from the beginning and His directions are always to bring us into the place where He is taking us to. We can fully trust God !