Walk

“And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped.” ~ Numbers 9:17

Sometime in the fifth century BC, the Chinese philosopher, Lao-Tzu wrote, “A journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step.” It is a proverb that has lasted through the years and describes the idea that any journey is made up of small steps. Any goal is made up of smaller pieces that we accomplish one at a time. It highlights the importance of putting one foot in front of the other and heading in a chosen direction.

One of the longest walks in history has to be found in the Book of Numbers. Numbers describes the Wilderness Wanderings of the Israelites. It is a time that starts off with so much promise. God’s people leave Mt. Sinai and walk towards the Promised Land. Each step brings them closer to the land where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob once lived. Each step is a step closer to home. But then the journey takes a detour. After hearing the reports of 12 spies sent into the Promised Land by Moses, the people of God rebel. They lose sight of God’s guiding hand and mighty power to defeat their enemies. The next forty years finds the people of Israel walking in the wilderness. A sad time as a generation simply waits to die. But the journey ends exactly where God has promised, back at the land of Canaan. Now a generation exists that is ready to follow God. They are ready to conquer a land and people as they live in the fulfilled promises of the Lord.

We can learn a lot about our spiritual journey as we read through the Book of Numbers. We can learn that God has a plan, and He is leading us toward a place that He has prepared for His people. We can learn that God is big enough and strong enough to overcome any obstacle in our path, even things that look giant in our eyes. We can learn to have vision to see where God is moving. We can learn to surrender and follow where God leads.