Numbers 13:30-33
“Caleb interrupted, called for silence before Moses and said, ‘Let’s go up and take the land—now. We can do it.’ But the others said, ‘We can’t attack those people; they’re way stronger than we are.’ They spread scary rumors among the People of Israel. They said, ‘We scouted out the land from one end to the other—it’s a land that swallows people whole. Everybody we saw was huge. Why, we even saw the Nephilim giants (the Anak giants come from the Nephilim). Alongside them we felt like grasshoppers. And they looked down on us as if we were grasshoppers.’”
“But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. ‘Let’s go at once to take the land,” he said. “We can certainly conquer it!’ But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. ‘We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!’ So, they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: ‘The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that’s what they thought, too.’”
Poor Moses! He must have been incredulous at the turn this investigation took. The voice of a skeptical few ensured years of sand and manna for many others. Doubting God never ends well. Those who walk by faith are called to step with God into the unknown. For us, on this side of the cross, the Holy Spirit promises to provide sticking power.
Spirit, thank you for the work you do in me. Make me ready for the future you call me to, whatever it takes.