The Israelites were camped close to
the Jordan river, ready to move into the Promised Land. And whilst
camping there, God gave them the following command:
"Speak to the Israelites and tell
them: When you cross the Jordan river into the land of Canaan, you
must drive out all the people living there. You must destroy all
their carved and molten images and demolish their pagan shrines.
Take possession of the land and settle in it, because I have given
it to you to occupy." Numbers 33:51-53.
God told them to totally destroy
the Canaanites, because He knew, that if the Israelites allow them
to live, they will become like them and follow their customs and
worship their gods. God also gave them a warning:
"But if you fail to drive out the
people who live in the land, those who remain will be like
splinters in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass
you in the land where you live. And I will do to you, what I had
planned to do to them." Numbers 33:55,56
This was serious. If they obeyed
they would prosper, if they didn't, God will punish them like He
planned to punish the Canaanites. The choice was clear and the
consequences spelt out. Unfortunately they didn't listen...
And this lesson applies to us today
as well. We have to get rid of sinful behaviour in our lives. Jesus
died to free us from our sinful natures and to give us a new nature
that is like His. He died to set us free from the power of sin,
just like the Israelites were freed from the power of Pharoah. And
just as God led them to the Promised Land, Jesus also guides us to
our own Promised Land, filled with all He wants to offer us. But we
need to let go of sin in our lives that are like the Canaanites.
Listen to what Paul had to say:
"Since you have been raised to
new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven
where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and
power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not only think about
things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your
real life is hidden with Christ in God. So put to death the sinful,
earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual
sin, impurity, lust and shameful desires. Don't be greedy for the
good things of this life, for that is idolatry." Colossians
3:1-3,5
The choice for us is clear as well.
Follow the ways of God with all your heart and set your sights on
heaven, or continue with the sinful practices in your life and see
how they become splinters in your life like the Canaanites of old
was to the Israelites. I know most of us don't see anything wrong
with 'small' sins, but the problem is 'small' sins, like small
splinters, can cause a lot of discomfort and pain in the long run.
God wants us free, He wants to bless us in our Promised Land and He
wants us to thrive. But if we continue in sin and nurture the sin
in our lives, we are inviting pain into our lives that are totally
unnecessary and we might also experience the discipline of God.
Hebrews 12 clearly speaks about God disciplining His children to
leave sin behind and to follow His ways. But wouldn't it be better
to rather leave the sin ourselves? And strive to be more like
Jesus?
I know that to be sinless is
wishful thinking, but as we move into maturity, it is possible to
come close. Leave the sin you clearly know is prevalent in your
life and start to experience the joy of living in the Promised
Land.
Father, please forgive us for
following and loving sinful practices in our lives. Please give us
the strength and the determination to 'put to death' all sin
lurking around in our lives. We want to follow You and Your loving
ways and we want to live in the Promised Land without splinters
hindering our joy there. In Jesus Name. Amen