Earlier today I came across a stirring sentence in Dt. 1:2. So that you may be aware of the context, let me explain that this is the beginning of Moses giving the law a second time. Why is he giving it a second time?
The Hebrew people had been wandering in the desert for 40 years. The reason they had been wandering is their lack of faith. After the Lord had, by His own power, miraculously delivered them from Egypt in a very mighty way, they failed to believe that He could do that again.
So, they wandered in the desert. They went from here to there and ultimately just went in circles.
So, chapter 1 verse 1 says that they are now about to enter Canaan, then verse two adds this detail, “It is 11 days’ journey from Mt. Horeb to Kadesh-barnea.”
At first reading this I laughed and then sighed because I saw myself in it. This was a reality check passage. They spent 40 years making an 11-day journey.
I began to think about my own life.
Seriously, think about this. In a few moments I will be done speaking and I encourage you to meditate on this question: in your life have there been any 11-day journeys that took or is taking 40 years?
Now, please understand that I am not talking about a literal 40 years. In my case it was close to that. It is not a negative for me to ponder my own faithlessness, but rather a joyful reality that a great burden has been lifted. There is a realization that I can do ALL things through Christ, who gives me strength.
I encourage you to look at your life. Consider how God has delivered you. And then ponder in what ways are you being faithless? In what ways is this faithlessness making an 11-day journey much longer? This will serve as a starting point of prayer that you become less, and Christ becomes more.
SDG