Deuteronomy 1:26-36
English Standard Version
26 “Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. 27 And you murmured in your tents and said, ‘Because the Lord hated us he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to give us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. 28 Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our hearts melt, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to heaven. And besides, we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.”’ 29 Then I said to you, ‘Do not be in dread or afraid of them. 30 The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, 31 and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.’ 32 Yet in spite of this word you did not believe the Lord your God, 33 who went before you in the way to seek you out a place to pitch your tents, in fire by night and in the cloud by day, to show you by what way you should go.

The Penalty for Israel's Rebellion

34 “And the Lord heard your words and was angered, and he swore, 35 ‘Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers, 36 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh. He shall see it, and to him and to his children I will give the land on which he has trodden, because he has wholly followed the Lord!’

THE BURDEN OF INADEQUACY

September 28, 2021

Deuteronomy 1:26-36

Because we’re human, at some point we will all experience inadequacy. So the real issue you and I face is not whether we are sufficient for a task but how we respond when a challenge is beyond our capabilities. Oftentimes as an obstacle grows in our mind, we want to run in the opposite direction, away from the challenge and toward safety. However, avoiding a task that God has given us will lead to bondage. The more we feed our fear, the more we’ll be controlled by feelings of inadequacy, which can impact decisions we make and, ultimately, our future.

Look at the Israelites in today’s passage. Standing on the edge of the Promised Land, they were overcome by fear. The size and strength of the enemy was overwhelming. As a result of their refusal to trust the Lord and move forward to conquer the local inhabitants, those Israelites never saw the land that He wanted to give them. Opportunities are often lost when we let fear overrule our faith.

When God calls you to a task beyond your abilities, acknowledge your feelings of inadequacy and then choose to rely on Him and His promises. By moving forward in faith despite your fear, you will discover the Lord’s faithfulness. He always empowers us for the works He assigns.


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