Numbers 33: 51 – 53

“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images and demolish all their high places; and you shall take possession of the land and live in it, for I have given the land to you to possess it.

Numbers 33: 55 – 56

‘But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live. And as I plan to do to them, so I will do to you.’”

Caleb and Joshua were the only two people from the original group of Israelites that entered the Promised Land because they fully obeyed the Lord and fully believed in Him. The Lord, in His anger towards these unbelieving Israelites, caused them to wander in the desert of Sinai for forty years until the last person of that evil and unbelieving generation died. Yet, in His loving kindness, God continued to protect them from enemies and the weather, and provided them sumptuous food and water. He cared for them so much that the clothes and shoes they were wearing did not wear out for those forty years.

God’s commandment for the Israelites when they entered the Promised Land was that they should drive all the people and destroy their idols and high places. Only then they could possess the Land. The Canaanites were idol worshippers. Almighty God did not want the Israelites to be part of that pagan culture. He just redeemed them from the idolatry of Egypt. He wanted a nation that fully followed Him, obeyed Him and worshipped Him. His instructions were clear: no idol or high place should be present in the Promised Land. He will never share His glory with another.

We, as believers, in Jesus Christ, have been redeemed from the idols in our past. We must completely destroy each and every idol that we worshipped in the past. We used to serve at the feet of the idols of success, money, fame, health, etc. All those gave us temporary fulfillment but there is no lasting satisfaction. They may have consumed us. We may have been accustomed to having them around and in us. However, each time, we’ve come to the end of ourselves. And yet failed to recognize that our deep desires are only fulfilled in Christ.

When we enter into the Kingdom of God, we are supposed to drive out all these old habits, demolish all those idols which we held close to our bosoms, and destroy every trace of our old self. If we failed to do that, then these same habits, demons of the past, become snares, stumbling blocks and thorns in our sides. All what God promised, we won’t be able to possess completely. We cannot be sailing in two boats. We cannot have one foot in the world and one foot in the Promised Land. Jesus Himself said that “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9: 62).

We must be willing to take a full head-long plunge into the Promised Land. Looking back to our old life, stoking our old habits thinking they are harmless, revisiting our old sins are all symptoms of one foot in the Kingdom and one foot in the world. If we are not fully enjoying the blessings of God in our lives at the moment, we must introspect as to what old habit or sin is still a shadow that is following us. Is it too difficult to stop lying, stop complaining, stop gossiping, or coveting or some other habit/sin? We cannot pour new wine in old wineskin. We must be completely cleansed, purged of every trace of the world for our Lord to fill us with His goodness.

Unable to fully obey and fully trust in the Lord has deadly repercussions. God said He will punish those who are sailing in two boats. Lives and time were lost in the wilderness due to disobedience and lack of faith. Instead of enjoying the abundance of the Promised Land, the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years. Even the righteous people had to suffer for the faithlessness of the people. Are we walking in the footsteps of these disobedient and faithless Israelites? Are our faithless actions causing us to miss out on God’s best? Are our actions robbing others around us of God’s blessings?

Dear Saint of God, it is time. Time to let go off the past. Time to give up our old habits/sins. Time to die to self. The Promised Land awaits us. The fullness of God’s goodness is at hand. We are missing out on it due to our own disobedience. We could be more alive than we are right now if only we learn to trust Him completely. We could stop wandering aimlessly if only we learn to focus on Christ and follow Him. We could come out of this wilderness we have created around ourselves and enter into the Promised Land.

Psalm 16: 5 – 6

The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed my heritage is beautiful to me.