"In Christ the best is always yet to come.
Always. No exceptions. Forever."
~ John Piper
Always. No exceptions. Forever."
~ John Piper
How Much Salvation Do You Have?
#discipleship
And all the children of Israel complained. "... If only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the LORD brought us to this land to fall by the sword...? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?" ...
[But Joshua and Caleb said]: "The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, 'a land which flows with milk and honey.' "
~ Numbers 14:2-3;7-8 (NKJV)
Don't rebel like those people who were tested in the desert... We see that those people did not enter the place of rest because they did not have faith. The promise to enter the place of rest is still good, and we must take care that none of you miss out.
~ Hebrews 3:8,19-4:1 (CEV)
This event from Numbers occurs after the Lord has displayed unquestionable might with the ten plagues and parting of the Red Sea. For sixteen months, the Lord has provided bread, meat and water to the Israelites. Now faced with the Promised Land's prosperity (yesterday's "Goodness of the Grape"), they choose to fear the unknown rather than trust the I AM.
So they declare it preferable to either die in the desert or return to bondage. Doubt in God's power and goodness costs them the pleasures He had waiting for them. The children of Israel have experienced salvation from slavery, but lack of trust prevents them from being fully free.
Christians likewise pass through three places to experience full freedom: bondage, desert, Promised Land.
Two variations of the Hebrew noun for "salvation" are yasha and yeshua. [Yeshua is also the Hebrew name of Jesus.] Yeshua is the act of rescue or deliverance. Yasha is a wide or open space in the condition of safety and freedom. It is the difference between standing next to unshackled chains outside the dark dungeon's door, and dancing barefoot across the beach in glorious sunshine.
Whether Egyptians or Hell's damnation threaten, the prudent person steps out in faith to accept rescue from bondage. But the desert of mere survival is no place to remain. The Lord offers a wide place of rest and abundant life for those willing to trust that He overcomes all we fear.
If the Christian life feels like a confining desert wasteland, freedom isn't found by looking back at bondage as not-so-bad. Moving forward into the Promised Land is a simple matter of saying, "Lord, wherever You lead I'll follow, whatever You ask I'll do"—trusting His goodness and might.
Do you know the abundant life of full surrender?
Do you trust Jesus for both narrow rescue and wide freedom?
Lord Jesus, Adonia Yeshua, thank You for deliverance from bondage. Thank You for leading us to the wide place of freedom in Your new life. Thank You for being utterly worthy of our trust.
"Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."(John 8:36 NKJV)
Much thanks to Bridget Chumbley for hosting today's Blog Carnival on Trust on One Word at a Time.
Contrasting points-of-view, questions and feedback are invited. Post to
Prison photo from makethewallstransparent.org
Beach photo from lifewaydental.com
Sometimes schlogging through the desert is hard, but there is no turning back. Reminds me of the song "i have decided to follow Jesus"
ReplyDeleteI have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.
Sorry for the hijacking :-)
but lack of trust prevents them from being fully free.
ReplyDeleteIsn't this true of many of us? If only we would fully surrender, we'd be blessed beyond measure!
Thanks so much for posting, Anne.
I think sometimes when we take that leap of faith we are alarmed when life resumes it's natural pace around us as if it were an explosion we were waiting for. Instead it's a journey.
ReplyDeleteYeah but in the desert I don't risk massive failure and the manna comes three times a day and....
ReplyDeleteOuch, Anne. Ouuuuuccchh. (This one hit close to home.)
But I so needed to hear it. Thank you. I shall gather my courage and carry on, with God's help.
May He bless you richly today.
Pain often has a short memory. It is sometimes easy to forget what life felt like before Yeshua.
ReplyDelete"If the Christian life feels like a confining desert wasteland, freedom isn't found by looking back at bondage as not-so-bad. Moving forward into the Promised Land is a simple matter of saying, "Lord, wherever You lead I'll follow, whatever You ask I'll do"—trusting His goodness and might."
ReplyDeleteI love this post. When we can't see what lies ahead of us, we are at a crossroads. We will either trust and move forward or we will romanticize the past and wish for days long gone. I enjoyed your thoughts! Thanks for sharing them!
@Helen: you got me laughing here, I love that song too!
ReplyDelete@Anne: "freedom isn't found by looking back at bondage as not so bad" This is so true. It's sad that some people think it is a good alternative to taking a step of faith. I guess it's the fear of the unknown thing.
Also, I can't believe we almost wrote about the same story of Moses.
"The prudent person steps out in faith" - at first that seems a bit oxymoronic but it's oh so true. Too often we see prudent as being careful and not trusting. Not so with Jesus. Loved this!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this, Mrs. Bundy.
ReplyDeleteI had a hard time reading beyond this: "Doubt in God's power and goodness costs them the pleasures He had waiting for them." because it stirred too many thoughts.
ReplyDeleteStill thinking,
Wendy
Helen, the hijacking is just fine. I've always appreciated that song. And a question: is schlogging anything like schlepping? ;)
ReplyDeleteBridget, thanks for hosting, and for visiting. How SHALL I make it to the other 26 posts? It's my intent to do so.
T. Anne, I laugh at your comment because the explosion still comes, just not when you're expecting it.
Gwen, no risk of failure = no chance of success. I love you, dearest friend.
Russell, "Pain often has a short memory"? Not always short enough, but still long enough that we remember how to sing "Amazing Grace" and give God glory.
headtoheart, I'm smiling at your comment. Faith is believing in the unseen and still believing. I'm so glad you stopped in.
Jojo, I've always seen the story of the spies as a critical lesson for the Christian life. I was thrilled to have this reading in Numbers come up on a day when the topic of the Blog Carnival is "trust."
Candace, "Not so with Jesus" is delightful! Oooh I love it! Every other one of life's oxymorons surely finds its perfection in Him!
Marissa, I'm so happy to have you stop in. Give your mom a hug from me, and have one for yourself!
Wendy, think on this. Yeshua is like the marriage declared legal at the altar and being sealed with the sweetness of a kiss. Yasha is the Spirit filling us, the delight of the marriage consummation on the wedding night. The first is the bride's affirmation, the second is her surrender.
Full surrender? HA! I barely manage partial surrender most of the time!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, as usual, Anne!
"If the Christian life feels like a confining desert wasteland, freedom isn't found by looking back at bondage as not-so-bad. Moving forward into the Promised Land is a simple matter of saying, "Lord, wherever You lead I'll follow, whatever You ask I'll do"—trusting His goodness and might." Amen! Thanks for your wonderful words of wisdom and encouragement!
ReplyDeletePeter, you're much closer than you assert, and deep down I suspect you know that. It's not hard to get there, honest. Staying there is another matter ...
ReplyDeleteKevin, I'm pleased to know you found this worthy to call wise encoucouragement. Pass it on.
Thanks for visiting my blog and for the comment...I enjoyed reading your post today...'the desert of mere survival is no place to remain. The Lord offers a wide place of rest and abundant life for those willing to trust that He overcomes all we fear.' Love this!
ReplyDeleteJoyce, I spent three years in the desert. One of my deepest desires is to draw others out.
ReplyDeleteSuch an awesome post.
ReplyDeleteDenise, you're pretty awesome yourself, to keep up with me. You're a dear. I love you!
ReplyDeleteSo true- I love how you expounded on this. Lack of trust cuts the knees out from under us. There's no way around it. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteJason, you say well that faith must be full to support us. If we don't have enough faith to follow, we don't have enough faith.
ReplyDelete