By F. D. Adkins
Twelve men were chosen for the mission. Shammua, Shaphat, Caleb, Igal, Oshea (Joshua), Palti, Gaddiel, Gaddi, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi, and Geuel were going to be spies. Their assignment was to check out the land of Canaan, the Promised Land. Moses wanted to know about the land, the people, and the cities.
Forty days later, the twelve spies returned to report their findings. Overcome with fear and doubt, ten of the men detailed fortified cities and mighty giants that they had no chance of defeating. They said, “… We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we… There we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” (Numbers 13:31 & 33 KJV).
Now the other two men also witnessed giants and fortified cities in the land of Canaan, but they were not afraid. They were ready to go up against the giants right then. Why? Because they had unshakable faith in God. They had complete trust in Him. They said, “If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it to us; a land which floweth with milk and honey” (Numbers 14:8 KJV). Even though the Israelites may have looked like grasshoppers against the giants, Joshua and Caleb knew the giants that overshadowed them would be no more than grasshoppers to God.
As I read the scripture in Numbers 13 and 14 this week, I began to self-assess. Would I have been in the group of ten or would I have been a Caleb or a Joshua? Would I have let fear shut me down and keep me from following through with God’s plan or would I have stood strong and faced the giants knowing that anything is possible with God?
That self-assessment brought me to the present as I think about the giants around me or the things that I perceive to be giants, those hurdles and obstacles that the enemy puts a magnifying glass in front of because he wants me to cower and not accomplish what God wants me to do. As much as I want to be a Caleb or a Joshua, I have to admit fear gets the best of me sometimes, and I have to remind myself that the Creator of the universe is my Heavenly Father. He knows every breath I will take. And His Word says, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9 KJV). That verse always fills me with awe. God is always with me. Always.
Sure I get afraid from time to time. But you know even the things that terrify me the most in life, God holds on to me with His mighty right hand so that I come through it inspite of what Satan wants to happen. Satan wants us to run…run away from God. But if we stand strong in our faith, God will hold on to us and NEVER leave us! He has overcome the world & with Him we can too! Let’s try being a Caleb or a Joshua.