| PreparationPosted Sep-28-07 05:41:10 PDT These are the words Moses spoke to all Israel in the desert east of the Jordan . . . in the 40th year, on the first day of the 11th month, Moses proclaimed to the Israelites all that the Lord had commanded him concerning them.
Deuteronomy 1:1,3
The Israelites spent 40 years on a journey that should have lasted 11 days. It was not the distance that stood between them and the promised land, it was the condition of their hearts. God's purpose went deeper than simply transporting a huge group of people to a new land. He was preparing them to live in obedience to him once they arrived. What good was the promised land if the Israelites were just as wicked as the nations already living there? The journey was a painful but necessary part of their preparation. Through it God taught the Israelites who he was: the living God, the leader of their nation. He also taught them who they were: people who were fallen, sinful, prone to rebellion and doubt. He gave his rebellious people the law to help them understand how to relate to God and to other people. Your spiritual journey may be lengthy, and you may face pain, discouragement, and hardships. But remember that God isn't just trying to keep you alive, he is transporting you to an entirely different place, he is leading you on a journey that will take you to new knowledge and a new revelation in Him. Every one of us has gone through a spiritually dry season in which we question everything we have every done and everything God has promised to do. But as we progress along that journey, God will ultimately restore our faith and strengthen our testimony.
God Bless you,
JH
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