Today, if you will hear His voice: Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness. (Psalm 95:7-8)
All of us are quite familiar with the story of the Exodus and Israel’s journey through the wilderness and the trials that came with it. Time after time, when faced with difficulty, the people succumbed to the natural inclination to worry, complain and rebel. Frankly, their experiences in the wilderness is a lesson in what not to do. In fact, Paul said as much when he referred to this generation in his letter to the believers in Corinth: “these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted” (1 Corinthians 10:6).
It could be easy for us, in hindsight, to look upon these people as weak and impetuous when considering all they had witnessed in Egypt and at Mount Sinai. On the other hand, they were surrounded by desert and faced a journey that none of us can truly appreciate. I have to believe that any of us, in the same situation — whether we’d like to admit it or not — might be tempted to act in similar fashion. As a matter of fact, in that same letter Paul sent to the Corinthians, he warned us to beware of thinking we wouldn’t do the same thing: “Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). That warning prompts us to consider a very important principle.
When we first dedicate ourselves to God’s service, we are typically overwhelmed with inspiration and a zeal to serve Him to the utmost of our being. However as life drags on, that enthusiasm can subside as we truly begin to realize the costs that go with taking up our cross to follow Him. In other words, as we begin to look ahead at the journey before us and what God expects of us, if we aren’t careful to guard our hearts, the future can appear to be overwhelmingly difficult and discouraging. If that is our outlook, how can we ever attain the lofty heights He has called us to? Well, in and of ourselves, we cannot but it is important that we are determined to serve Him faithfully TODAY.
The point is we shouldn’t focus on tomorrow’s obstacles but concentrate on serving God today, one day at a time, as if today were the only day we had to live. That is, in fact, what the psalmist wrote: “TODAY, if you will hear His voice” because tomorrow we will have opportunity to hear His voice again. If we will partake of today’s manna, then we can be sustained to endure whatever the day may have in store for us, instead of spending the hours wondering if tomorrow’s manna will arrive. Messiah said, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34). Therefore, let us be content to take the next step — a step that is ordered of the Lord — as He gives us the light and the strength to do so. If we will be faithful to do what is in front of us, one day at a time, He will be faithful to lead us to our destination.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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