February 25, 2016
Go Fever
Be
still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.— Psalm 37:7
Read:
Numbers 14:39-45
On January 28, 1986,
after five weather-related delays, the space shuttle Challenger lumbered
heavenward amid a thunderous overture of noise and flame. A mere 73 seconds
later, system failure tore the shuttle apart, and all seven crewmembers
perished.
The disaster was
attributed to an O-ring seal known to have vulnerabilities. Insiders referred
to the fatal mistake as “go fever”—the tendency to ignore vital precautions in
the rush to a grand goal.
Our ambitious human
nature relentlessly tempts us to make ill-advised choices. Yet we are also
prone to a fear that can make us overly cautious. The ancient Israelites
demonstrated both traits. When the 12 scouts returned from spying out the
Promised Land, 10 of the 12 saw only the obstacles (Num. 13:26-33). “We can’t
attack those people; they are stronger than we are,” they said (v. 31). After a
fearful rebellion against the Lord that led to the death of the 10 spies, the
people suddenly developed a case of “go fever.” They said, “Now we are ready to
go up to the land the Lord promised” (14:40). Without God, the ill-timed
invasion failed miserably (vv. 41-45).
When we take our eyes
off the Lord, we’ll slide into one of two extremes. We’ll impatiently rush
ahead without Him, or we’ll cower and complain in fear. Focusing on Him brings
courage tempered with His wisdom.
Before making a quick decision, consider why
you want to make it quickly. Consider if it will honor God and what it might
cost others. If you are afraid to make a decision, think about why that might
be. Most of all, pray!
A moment of patience can prevent a great
disaster.
INSIGHT:
In today’s reading the Israelites seem to
have a change of heart after God pronounces judgment on them for their
grumbling and unwillingness to trust Him (Num. 14:26–38; see Deut. 1:19–40).
After being told that no one over the age of twenty—except for Joshua and
Caleb—will be permitted to enter the Promised Land, the people cry out, “Now we
are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!” (Num.
14:40; see Deut. 1:41). But they failed to recognize that the Lord’s promise
was that He would go before them and deliver them from their enemies. They were
now trying to go in their own strength, and they were defeated (Num. 14:41–45).
Source: Our Daily Bread 2016