The Lord said to Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites” (Numbers 13:1-2).
God’s promise to the Israelites was clear: He would give them the land of Canaan. He wanted to give them strategy and insight into what He was giving them, so He sent a group of spies ahead of the rest of the people so they could bring back a report and show the fruit of the land.
God’s promise to us is also clear: He will make us a blessing to all nations. He desires to use us to bring His gospel to even the hardest places, and He has a specific strategy that He wants to show the church. He has sent people ahead to scope out the land and bring back a report.
The twelve spies brought back a generous report. “…It does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. But…” (13:27). That “but” turned the tables for the Israelites. It’s scary. There are giants. It’s hard. The cities are fortified. Odds are against us. We felt like grasshoppers in their eyes. “That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud” (14:1). They turned their eyes away from the promises and focused on the problems.
I hope that what we report from this side of the world will be like the report of Caleb. “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it” (13:30). Yes, there are challenges. Yes, there are big walls and closed doors. Veils and visas seem restrictive. Language is overwhelming. But here is its fruit: God is opening hearts in hostile places. He is bringing people from all backgrounds into a relationship with Him. He is growing His church. “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good” (14:7).
Let’s not be like the Israelites who missed the door of opportunity.