Calm in the Chaos

     Tonight, I had the opportunity to catch up on my Bible reading plan.  I had gotten behind in the Chronological Plan that I chose to follow this year.  I recently read in Numbers 13 about the spies that were sent to look at the Promised Land.  These people were literally on the brink of moving into their promise, and they went to check it out.  When they returned, they were able to confirm that the land was just as God had promised. It was beautiful and grew amazing crops.  It was “flowing with milk and honey”.  They continued: Numbers 13:28 ^“Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there. ²⁹Amalek is living in the land of the Negev and the Hittites and the Jebusites and the Amorites are living in the hill country, and the Canaanites are living by the sea and by the side of the Jordan.”

     Caleb tried to be the voice of reason:  ³⁰ Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it.”


     But the crowd continued:  “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us.” ³² So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size…”

     Numbers 14:1 Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night…

⁶ Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; ⁷ and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. ⁸ If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey. ⁹ Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.”


     So basically, these 40 men spied out the land.  Two of the men saw a promise fulfilled. 38 of them saw something that made them tremble.  They saw something that they felt was bigger than them.  They saw something that was new and scary to them.  They came back to the camp and spread fear and panic among the Israelites.  Two men were faithful and chose to focus on God’s promise and be encouragers. 

     Today, I was reading in Psalm 90 as part of the reading plan.  However, my eye was drawn to Psalm 91. 

      A peace washed over me.  I deleted the Facebook app from my phone.  I refuse to listen to the ones constantly talking about a “giant” virus. That is very similar to the 38 in the Bible story who spread fear and panic. I can remain informed and make wise choices without a constant feed of doomsday in my face. I am not going to share my personal thoughts.  I do not want to become another clanging cymbal about this topic.  It really doesn’t matter what my opinion is anyway. My opinion changes nothing and just becomes a part of the problem.  I knew I wouldn’t post about this unless I had something new to say.  I'm not going to share the stories and opinions of some self-proclaimed expert on the topic. So, when I read this scripture, I hoped and prayed I could follow the example of Joshua and Caleb and focus on the PROMISE. Whenever I read the words "I will" in my Bible, I circle those words.  PROMISES. God is in control and that is all I need to know.