Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)

“The mixed multitude that was among them lusted exceedingly; and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, “Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish, which we ate in Egypt for nothing; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic; but now we have lost our appetite. There is nothing at all except this manna to look at.””
(Numbers 11:4-6)

“This saying is trustworthy:
“For if we died with him,
    we will also live with him.
If we endure,
    we will also reign with him.
If we deny him,
    he also will deny us.
If we are faithless,
    he remains faithful;
    for he can’t deny himself.”“
(2 Timothy 2:11-13)

Those who came with the Israelites out of Egypt helped fan the flames of discontent among some of the Israelites. The problem was RELIANCE. They were totally dependent on the Lord in the desert. They couldn’t grow their own crops. They weren’t deciding on their path. They couldn’t do anything in their own strength. They had to rely on Him. Not everyone trusted Him. Plain and simple. They rejected Him as their Source. They rejected Him as their God. And they BLAMED Him for their circumstances. For what they DIDN’T have. They ignored all the good things. They ignored the freedom. They put their eyes on what HAD BEEN and what WASN’T and blamed Him for it.

If we lean into what God has for us, we will have it. If we accept from Him, we’ll have it. If we CHOOSE to listen to Him and to obey, we’ll have it. If we won’t, we will NOT have it. Someone who is GOOD does not love that which is BAD. If we are told that there is blessing everywhere within this yard and then we leave it – or worse stand at the fence oogling what’s on the other side – then we WON’T be able to enjoy it. It won’t have been taken from us, we will have rejected it. Period. It will be OUR fault that we aren’t getting everything He WANTS for us to have.

Summary

This is a world of sowing and reaping. Of planting and harvest. The seed we plant in our hearts determines what we accept. If we plant thanksgiving and gratefulness in our hearts, then the harvest will be a seed-crop of obedience. That seed-crop will harvest blessing. How much blessing we choose to receive is directly proportionate to the amount of obedience we sow. It is up to US. We can depend on Him and do it with thankfulness. We can whine and wish we had something else. Only thankfulness prepares us to receive.