Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
February 21, 2023
Read Numbers 13:26-33
26 They went directly to Moses, Aaron, and the entire Israelite community in the Paran desert at Kadesh. They brought back a report to them and to the entire community and showed them the land’s fruit. 27 Then they gave their report: “We entered the land to which you sent us. It’s actually full of milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 There are, however, powerful people who live in the land. The cities have huge fortifications. And we even saw the descendants of the Anakites there. 29 The Amalekites live in the land of the arid southern plain; the Hittites, Jebusites, and Amorites live in the mountains; and the Canaanites live by the sea and along the Jordan.” 30 Now Caleb calmed the people before Moses and said, “We must go up and take possession of it, because we are more than able to do it.” 31 But the men who went up with him said, “We can’t go up against the people because they are stronger than we.” 32 They started a rumor about the land that they had explored, telling the Israelites, “The land that we crossed over to explore is a land that devours its residents. All the people we saw in it are huge men. 33 We saw there the Nephilim (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We saw ourselves as grasshoppers, and that’s how we appeared to them.”
Good Morning, Our strength comes from God!
We are God’s children and We are resurrection people!
No matter what troubles we face, God’s power that lies within us through the Holy Spirit is greater than any earthly power. Jesus came to teach us how to live, how to love one another, and how to love God. He opened our eyes so that we could see a new way. A way in which the first shall last and the last shall be first. A way through which those who were once lost are now found.
Sometimes we look at our obstacles and see mountains like the men describing the huge men in their scouting report. They looked at the challenge of entering the land and only saw the difficulties that lay ahead. Whereas Caleb and Joshua saw a land of possibility that God promised them. Caleb and Joshua trusted the Lord who told them to enter the land. They believed that God would not send them to their destruction, but would give them the strength to go where they were sent.
It is hard to not become fixated on the barriers blocking our way! The longer we stare, the larger they become. How many times do we feel like grasshoppers among the giants? Are we hiding in the grass hoping not to be squished? We are called to claim the power that God offers to us and face our struggles. Those who have faith can overcome all adversity. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matt. 17:20
Loving God, Thank You for being with us. Help us to stand tall and claim the power that you offer to those who believe. Thank you! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: God is bigger than any problem I face.
God will provide all we need! Pastor Liz