A Different Type of Promised Land.

The Israelites longed for a land flowing with milk and honey. To most of us the Promised Land might be a physical location or possessions or status. I want to focus on the Promised Land as a state of being. A place of righteousness. A place of “Christ-likeness”. A place of oneness with God. It took the Israelites 40 years to get to the Promised Land but we all know that the actual journey should have taken weeks.

So why did the Israelites travel for years trying to get to the Promised Land? What can I learn from their experience? What kept them back from reaching the Promised Land earlier? Well they complained, worshipped other gods, basically they didn’t have faith in God that they would get there.

One of the things that a pastor said recently was the difference between working hard and working smart. The forty years was just not necessary. But how do I apply this principle to my life? Well, it shows that the road to spiritual maturity will be as long as I make it. It doesn’t have to be a multi-year fight or does it? Was the Israelites’ wandering for 40 years necessary for them to appreciate the Promised Land when they got there? Is a long protracted struggle on my quest necessary for me to appreciate being spiritually mature?

Hold on Faith. That’s it. If they had faith that God was gonna get them to the Promised Land, they wouldn’t have done all the things they did. So if I have faith, I can overcome whatever bumps I meet on my path and get there quicker. Or is it get there on time? Hmmmmm……

But can it be that easy. Just have faith. That’s all you need. Well faith backed up by actions. Now I think I understand why faith is so important. If we see our lives as a journey to the Promised Land, and see obstacles we face as bumps on the way to that Promised Land and have faith that we can overcome those bumps and back up that faith with actions, we will get to the Promised Land. Phew!!! That’s a mouthful……

Interesting. But can it be possible that these bumps in the road are not what we think they are? If our purpose in life is to seek God. Then the Promised Land is Finding God. If the journey is seeking him and if we view all the challenges we face in life as attempts to stop us seeking God then we can put them in perspective. Can that be it? Really it? Can it be so straightforward?

“Seek first the Kingdom of God and other things will be added unto you”

I don’t know how to end this post. I believe I need to think about this a bit more.