Faithful Capsule: Disallow comfort from clouding your commitment to God’s command.
Numbers 32
Engaging the journey of life comfortably should never be a sin. However, when man comfortably place comfort ahead of commitment to God’s direction in the journey of life, one is set not to arrive at the center of God’s divine agenda. God, in His goodness and mercy brought the children of Israel out of the bondage of over four hundred years with plan to settle them in the Promised Land. It is written, “So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.” (Exodus 3:8) God wanted to place them from bondage to abundance when he promised them a land that flows with milk and honey. God promised to bring them up but for the children of Gad and of Reuben engaging comfort in the place of commitment took charge. The children of Gad and of Reuben decided to settle at the East of Jordan.
The Bible recorded that they had a very great multitude of livestock and that prompted a request for a settlement in the region which was a place for livestock; a place that was more comfortable by their own understanding instead of God’s promise. Despite their understanding of God’s plan, they attempted a choice to wander from the way of God’s understanding. Are you attempting to wander from the way of understanding gained from the word of God? Proverbs 21:16 admonished, “A man who wanders from the way of understanding will rest in the assembly of the dead.”
The children of Gad and the children of Reuben approached Moses and stated their desire, “…the country which the LORD defeated before the congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.’ Therefore they said, ‘If we have found favor in your sight, let this land be given to your servants as a possession. Do not take us over the Jordan.’” (Numbers 32:4-5) It is clear that where there is livestock milk will flow, but not honey. God promised a land flowing with milk and honey, but they attempted to settle for their own comfort land. The land which flowed with milk was comfortably enough for them. It is good to be comfortable but not at the expense of God’s command or plan for us. Placing our comfort above God’s command is a direct avenue to becoming insensitive to the move of the Spirit of God. Spiritual insensitivity will reduce and not increase a believer. Are you operating the mind of the children of Gad and Reuben as you engage your journey to the Promised Land? Disallow comfort from clouding your commitment to God’s command.
Prayer for today: Ask God to restore unto you whatever you have lost to spiritual insensitivity.