Then Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying: “This is the land which you shall inherit by lot, which the Lord has commanded to give to the nine tribes and to the half-tribe” Numbers 34:13 ESV
Expectations are killer. We all have them, and we all react to them. They sit just below our psyche prowling, lurking, ready to pop up at seemingly the most inopportune time. And folks, whether you are ready to admit it or not, our own expectations cause most of our own problems. As I deal with my expectations daily, I have come to believe that many times they are tied to the other monkey I carry on my back, that is, my sin nature. Yet another unwelcome companion in the journey of this life, our sin nature can, too often, fuel our expectations to be nothing other than a vehicle to subconsciously retrieve what we believe we deserve. And so, the question looms largely overhead, how do you deal with your expectations and better yet, how do you even know they have shown up to play?
As I continue to study through the book of Numbers, I find yet again that so many of the books we dismiss as boring or irrelevant, are chock full of God’s goodness. And why should I sound surprised, I mean it is after all the very Words of God preserved to instruct us, rebuke us, train us in righteousness, and correct us when we walk in the world’s ways versus His ways (1 Timothy 3:16-17). And yet again, as I walk the seemingly unworn trails of God’s Old Testament, I find beautiful gems lying by the wayside. And the gem of our study verse above should challenge us in all we think we deserve from living this good ol’ American dream life.
You must recall the journey of the Israelites up to this point. God freed them from around 400 years of harsh slavery in Egypt to usher them into a home that He had created just for them. A home God called the promised land. God elected Moses to lead the people and after a few short months hiking in the desert they came to the very borders of that promised land, God ready to see them take possession of it. Yet even after the people had personally witnessed God part a sea, rain bread from heaven daily, provide water from a rock, and manifest Himself in a pillar of fire, their hard unbelieving hearts refused to inhabit their promised land. Twelve spies walked the promised land for 40 days and then reported back. And just as today they reported the simple facts like our slanted media outlets, only reporting the negatives that bred fear among the people. And the people bought it hook, line, and sinker. They fearfully refused to take a step into the promised land and so God judged their disobedience by having them roam the desert for 40 years until every disbelieving heart had died in that desert. Not what I’d call a Hallmark movie ending.
Now in Numbers chapter 35, the new generation is about to attempt the same task their now dead parents so miserably failed. God has instructed them clearly, encouraged them sufficiently, and has divided up the land to each of the twelve tribes. But as you think about this promised land that God has created and prepared to give to them, you really must delve into what the land held. You see, the Israelites had been enslaved in Egypt for almost four decades and had seen a wealth of precious gold and silver lining the monuments and temples, yet God’s promised land for them had neither a gold mine or a silver mine. They had also witnessed the battle effectiveness of chariots, spears, and arrows constructed of iron, yet there was nary a source of iron in the promised land God was giving them. They had also observed rich coastal port cities that garnered great wealth from the commerce they controlled, yet the promised land had not one strategically located trade harbor. So, if we are allowed to let our expectations run amuck, wouldn’t you think that the very promised land of God would see every Israelite living in a lavishly furnished McMansion with the newest bright red fully-loaded chariot parked out front, a wealth of cash in the bank, and plenty of flashy jewelry, clothes, and toys to impress the neighbors? I mean seriously, what is a promised land without all the stuff?
Folks, after recently returning to the U.S. after 4 years living in Mexico, I see a disease running rampant through this culture. And that disease is expectation that fuels materialism. I drive the streets and observe a society that is ever so eagerly seeking to create their own personal promised lands. Not the land and life that God has created just for them, but the land and life their expectations tell them they deserve. I drive to my parent’s home in the little town of Combine, Texas and see 5,000 square foot houses being built by the dozen. Apparently, a family of 20 is moving in. I drive the highways and see a plethora of $70,000 4x4 trucks built for off-road use that are instead sitting still in traffic on Interstate 20. But they do look cool. I see lives buying their own promised land with debt as their personal income will not allow them to do so otherwise. I see lives all around me that would quickly thumb their noses at God’s promised land because it couldn’t offer them what their expectations tell them they need and deserve.
God has a promised land just for you today. God has a land that is flowing with milk and honey, rich in the provision that your maker knows that you and you alone need. The question is, as you near its borders and peer in, will you be content to see God’s provision, or will you instead turn and seek your own promised land? The true and honest reaction to this question lies purely in your expectations of this life. And your expectations are managed only through carefully processing them through the Holy Spirit of God as a redeemed believer in Jesus Christ. I challenge you today, brother or sister in Christ, to launder each and every decision that lies before you through the Lord. Don’t seek what you desire as you chase to duplicate your neighbor’s stuff, instead look to the Lord to grant you the life He knows will see you be not falsely, superficially happy, but truly joyful in your soul. And true joy cannot come from things…but only from the goodness of the presence of God.
Blessings ~ Dan
“The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.” Proverbs 10:28
“The Lord knows how much money it will take to corrupt you…and gives you just a little less.” Unknown
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