Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
Numbers 13-14 – Praying through the Bible #47 – A Prayer to Keep Praying through the Bible
I am tired of writing “Praying through the Bible.” This is #47, and I have mostly enjoyed the creative challenge of crafting them and the needed prayer challenges. But the truth is I am getting bored. I am out of ideas here with Israel. They are driving me nuts and drying up my imaginative, wacky, backdoor side window, brain. When it comes to Israel, as the old, unoriginal saying goes, “Nothing new here, keep moving along.”
In Numbers 13, Israel finally gets to Canaan, sends out 12 spies, 10 of which return with a bad report. “To ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and we must have seemed the same to them” (13.33). So expectedly and tiresomely, Israel does what they keep doing. Failing. “If only we had died in the land of Egypt” (Nm 14.2). “Nada, nada, nada,” ad nauseum! They escalate their flip flop faith by getting the bright idea (sarcasm!) to appoint a leader to head back to Egypt (14.4). And if that is not numbskull enough, the whole community threatens to stone Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb. “Bla, bla, bla.”
God again threatens retaliation (Ex 32; Nm 14.12), another plague is possible (Nm 11.33; 14.12). God again proposes keeping His promises through creating a brand new nation from Moses (Nm 14.12). Moses, just like before, mediates through common sense and by reminding God of His great glory (14.13,19). This scene is reminiscent of the Golden Calf debacle (Ex 32), coupled with touches from other oh too familiar failures. When crafting the Torah, I wonder if Moses tired of writing about these disappointingly repetitive acts of unfaithfulness; I know I have. “Same ole same ole.”
Israel doesn’t tire of complaining, but I am sick and tired of their complaining. I’m glad God punishes them by sending them back out into the wilderness where they will wander for the next 38 years, totaling 40, the same number of days the wicked spies traversed Canaan (14.34). Oh wait. Just great! That means I have to read and write about more whining, complaining, murmuring, ungrateful and unfaithful Israel. I feel so much better now (sarcasm again!). Then Israel gets even stupider (yes that is a word). While they didn’t think they could conquer Canaan with God, somehow think they can conquer Canaan without God?! They get what they deserve, slaughtered (14.39-45).
Maybe I’m just in a bad mood. Or maybe this mood of mine is exactly what I should be feeling…except…what if I am even slightly like Israel? What if I am more like them than I want to admit? Even the apostles were so hardheaded Jesus repeatedly rebuked them with, “Oh you of little faith.” Have I not been destroyed because of God’s faithful love? Now I’m even more aggravated, but now it is with me! Sigh….How tiresome I must be to God. I need to keep writing and “Praying through the Bible.”
Prayer Challenge: Do we complain more or praise more? Do we keep committing the same selfish, unfaithful sins? Are we getting tired of sinning or tired of righteousness? Do we have a self-righteous mood? After we answer, it is time to pray.
You had me on the edge of my seat until the end; I didn’t know where you were going.
>> What if I am more like them than I want to admit?
Thank you for this article, very much. And, please do continue writing.
Just found your site recently, and reading this was a good swift kick for me (no sarcasm). I was feeling tired with feeling tired. It seems like some of that tiredness is like being under siege. Just waiting much of the time, and continuing to remain fresh and renewed and thankful in any and every situation.