Persevering in the Midst of Trials
Scripture Passage: Deuteronomy 2:26-37 (NASB)
26 “So I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemoth to Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying, 27 ‘Let me pass through your land, I will travel only on the highway; I will not turn aside to the right or to the left. 28 You will sell me food for money so that I may eat, and give me water for money so that I may drink, only let me pass through on foot, 29 just as the sons of Esau who live in Seir and the Moabites who live in Ar did for me, until I cross over the Jordan into the land which the Lord our God is giving to us.’ 30 But Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land; for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to deliver him into your hand, as he is today. 31 The Lord said to me, ‘See, I have begun to deliver Sihon and his land over to you. Begin to occupy, that you may possess his land.’
32 “Then Sihon with all his people came out to meet us in battle at Jahaz. 33 The Lord our God delivered him over to us, and we defeated him with his sons and all his people. 34 So we captured all his cities at that time and utterly destroyed the men, women and children of every city. We left no survivor. 35 We took only the animals as our booty and the spoil of the cities which we had captured. 36 From Aroer which is on the edge of the valley of Arnon and from the city which is in the valley, even to Gilead, there was no city that was too high for us; the Lord our God delivered all over to us. 37 Only you did not go near to the land of the sons of Ammon, all along the river Jabbok and the cities of the hill country, and wherever the Lord our God had commanded us.
SUMMARY
Moses asks Sihon King of Heshbon to allow him and his people to pass through their land. But in order to deliver Sihon into the Israelites’ hands, God hardens the heart of Sihon King of Heshbon and the king refuses Moses’ request. Then, the Lord tells Moses to command the Israelites to begin to occupy and possess the land. Sihon and his people meet Moses and the Israelites in the battlefield and the Israelites completely defeats them, capturing all their cities and destroying everyone. No city was too powerful for Moses and the Israelites to overcome, and the Lord delivered all the cities over to Moses and His people.
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
In today’s passage, Moses in faith asks Sihon King of Heshbon to let him and his people pass through their land. But I wonder if Sihon’s obstinate refusal discouraged any of the Israelites, even though God clearly told them that He will deliver them in all circumstances (2:24). I become easily discouraged when hardships come along my way. Yet, I know that God has a divine purpose for everything that happens in my life, even if I don’t understand that purpose at the moment. And I know that God’s great love always will give what is best for me. But I often go through a lot of unnecessary heartaches because I cannot take the momentary “refusal of Sihon” in my life, even after God has said repeatedly that He will deliver me from my enemies and I will “occupy and possess the land” (v. 31).
APPLICATION
This pandemic has been much more prolonged than I had expected, and is still leading my emotions on a rollercoaster everyday. The increasing number of new cases makes me worry, because I am still not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel even after 3 months of quarantine. But today’s message encourages me to begin “occupying and possessing the land.” Even through something as horrible as the pandemic (Sihon’s refusal), God can give me true victory over my struggles by simplifying the chaotic and busy life that I had previously lived and strengthening my faith to trust Him and His promises.
I want to “occupy and possess” all of God’s blessings that I may have missed because of my lack of trust (spending quality time with God, family, re-examining/re-prioritizing my life, reviving my prayer life, etc.) during this time of pandemic by memorizing verses that will speak truth over me every time I am overwhelmed by my own emotions.
PRAYER
Lord, we thank You for always going before us, preparing the way, delivering us from the enemy and giving us the victory. We know that even in the midst of all these terrifying things that are happening around the world, You are there and You are giving us the victory. Help us not be discouraged at things that seem to be “Sihon’s refusal,” because such refusals and difficulties are temporary. Help us instead to truly ‘’occupy and possess the land” by standing still, meditating on Your life-giving words and trusting Your perfect love.
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