I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

Numbers 32. “The Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks, saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were suitable for livestock. So they came to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community, and said, ‘Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and Beon— the land the Lord subdued before the people of Israel—are suitable for livestock, and your servants have livestock. If we have found favor in your eyes,’ they said, ‘let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan'” (Verses 1-5). Wait! What?! “Don’t MAKE us cross over the Jordan.” I am blown away by this. They wondered for forty years in the wilderness, watched their family members die, and miss the promise land; and now they are asking NOT to go in? I am not a bible scholar or a historian by any means, but starting from today I am going to look up the history of the Reubenites and the Gadites, because I can’t imagine that living outside of God’s promise was the best decision they could have made. The thing though is we do that, us, humans. We, like the Reubenites and the Gadites, only see the physical, the RIGHT now. I am sure that had they ventured into the Jordan they would have found land 100 times more suitable for livestock. Why? Because GOD had prepared the promised land for them. It would have met ALL their needs. But they settled. This scripture hits home a bit for me today, because I am preparing to take hold of a promise, but I, like the Reubenites and Gadites see clearly the security of the here and now and I am tempted to stay outside.  But I realize that if I do that I will never know what God had for me. So today’s lesson: Don’t miss the promise, don’t settle for the here and now. Strive for the eternal.