Bless Others in the Wilderness
Scripture Passage: Deuteronomy 2:1-6 (NASB)
“Then we turned and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea, as the Lord spoke to me, and circled Mount Seir for many days. 2 And the Lord spoke to me, saying, 3 ‘You have circled this mountain long enough. Now turn north, 4 and command the people, saying, “You will pass through the territory of your brothers the sons of Esau who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful; 5 do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, even as little as a footstep because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. 6 You shall buy food from them with money so that you may eat, and you shall also purchase water from them with money so that you may drink.
SUMMARY
The Israelites circle Mount Seir for a long time as they followed God. He eventually tells them to break out of the circle and turn north, passing through the land of Esau on their way. During the time they are passing through Esau’s land, He reminds them not to provoke the people and that their land is not for the Israelites to take. He lets them know to buy food and drink for themselves with their own money if they need it as they pass through the land.
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
If I was an Israelite and was coming out of the wilderness into a civilized area with people, food, home and drink, I would be jealous and wonder why we can’t stop there and be comfortable instead of needing to go further. I see so many people around me that already seem so settled in their lives, with stable careers or loving marriages, I wonder why I can’t just stop there too and why I need to keep on going more. As the Israelites passed through their relatives’ land, I pass through life and it is easy for me to wonder why I can’t have what others have or think that their blessings should also be my blessings. I want to take and have what is their’s due to my own insecurity and lack of confidence in the future. Just because we see abundance in another person doesn’t mean that God is not leading us to our own land. He has a blessing in store for us, as well. He is reminding me that He has a plan and a place for everyone and just like the Israelites were passing through, not everywhere we “pass through” will be for us. However, it can be an opportunity to invest and give to others, even when all we see is more wilderness ahead.
APPLICATION
I reflected a lot on verse 6, “You shall buy food from them with money so that you may eat, and you shall also purchase water from them with money so that you may drink.” This verse reminds me that God wants us to invest in whatever situation we are in, even when we feel like we are lacking compared to others. Maybe He was training the Israelites to bless others regardless of their own circumstances. Similarly, I need to learn to invest in my friends and family and the spheres I am in, and leave something of value behind that blesses others and not just take for myself. When I invest in others, it is a win for both ends because I also am nourished by learning to bless others, just as the Israelites were nourished by eating and drinking what they had purchased. God wants me to be a giver, not a taker, and that comes from a place of certainty in knowing and trusting in God.
PRAYER
Like the Israelites breaking away from the circle, going back north to Canaan, I pray that I can also shift direction to where God wants to lead me. I am also shifting away from my comfortable circles of behavior and thought patterns that perhaps weren’t leading me anywhere, just going around the same topics and thoughts. Breaking out of a circle, requires an intentional change in thinking, and is deeper than just a change in a physical path, but a change in behavior, thoughts, new boundaries, and trusting in God. As I break away into a new direction, I pray that when I encounter people who seem to have more, that I will be able to invest and give instead of sticking to my old mindset of just taking, feeling like I’m not enough, and resisting. I will most likely pass through many things that aren’t for me but are instead meant for others, and I hope I will be able to give what I have and add value to their lives even if they aren’t necessarily on my side, like the Israelites and Edomites.
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