"For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee: thou hast lacked nothing." Deuteronomy 2:7
The Israelites escaped Egypt by the hand of God. By His hand, they ate manna and quail. All that they needed, God provided. Protection in times of war, purification when the enemies within rebelled against God, and the clear presence of His Spirit in the cloud and the pillar of fire.
Now, they prepare to enter the Promised Land, and God promises to go before them and to fight for them.
The Israelites wandered for forty years because they lacked faith. Time and again, they chose to rebel rather than trust. God accused them of whoredoms, and not as we think, but of their heart and what they chose to see.
"...that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:" Numbers 15:39
Many times, they angered God. Many times, they wanted to give up and return to Egypt. Many times, they complained.
But here's the wonderful thing about our God. He forgave.
God's will prevailed. He had promised Abraham that all nations would be blessed by his 'seed'. From Adam and Eve, God set a plan in motion for the redemption of man. From before time and the creation of the universe, God knew what this course would be in order for Him to have fellowship with us.
And take note: He did it. Not us.
When the Israelites tried to do things on their own, without God, even though it was in pursuit of the land God promised to give to them, they failed.
Perhaps one of the most difficult lessons I must learn (and it is a continual process), is that if I am worrying about my testimony, then I'm worrying about the god of people's opinion and that is not honoring God. The Holy Spirit works in the hearts and minds of others. That's not my work. Better to just live the best I can with my heart given over to God, than to worry about convincing someone else that I'm so holy. My testimony isn't in my 'doings', but it is revealed in my faith and trust in God despite my 'doings'.
God builds that faith and trust in me through life experiences and the reading and preaching of His Word. I can look at the stories of the men and women of the Bible and learn what a great God I serve. And, I can look through my life and see how time and time again He provided and protected and brought me great pleasure.
To God be all glory and honor and praise! Amen and Amen!
"Turn you, and take your journey,...Behold, I set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers,...Dread not, neither be afraid of them. The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes; And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place." Deuteronomy 1:7-30
