Child-like faith is an amazing thing. I am privileged to have been a part of 2 kids/jr youth camps this summer. Watching those kids (aged 6/7-12ish) worship alongside some amazing JR youth leaders (13+) and their counsellors/lead staff (16+?) is a joy to my heart. They just believe in their heart all that is told to them about JESUS and His love for us. He doesn't have to prove alot, they just have to see it lived out in those around them. They sing from their hearts, and worship God in their own way, whether it be with clapping, dancing, standing, sitting, cheering, shouting, or being still. My passion for children's ministry and imparting into their lives is definitely deepening into much more... I am excited to see where God is taking me as well in this adventure. Living out the 'life verse' found in Psalm 78:1-8 {mostly verse 4 "We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wonderful works that He has done." & verse 6-7 "That the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments;"}
God does indeed have BIG plans for us (no matter what our age is). Some of us have been Christians since we were little (like myself), and some of us just became Christians maybe even just today. God is never finished with us... if we are still breathing and living, God has plans for us. :) So why is it we feel like GRASSHOPPERS at times??
The Israelites saw themselves as grasshoppers, and went by what they could see and feel, instead of using the faith they had in their God. (Well all except two faithful ones, Joshua & Caleb.) Here's the 'historical facts' found in Numbers 13; God told Moses to send out spies into the promised land, the land of Canaan. God told him to send out one man from each of the tribes of Israel. There were 12 in total, and they went to spy out the land. They were to see;
* what the land is like
* whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, few or many
* whether the land is good or bad
* whether the cities are like camps or strongholds
* whether the land is rich or poor
* whether there are forests or not
He instructed them to BE OF GOOD COURAGE and bring back some of the fruit of the land, because it was the season for the first ripe grapes.
So according to the 'historical account', it says they returned with a cluster of grapes and some pomegranates & figs, and said in Numbers 13:27, “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. v. 28 Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. v. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.” But thankfully Caleb stepped up and said in v. 30, "Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it. Caleb and Joshua were the only ones to come back with a good report, for the other 10 men replied in verse 31, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we." 32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
Telling the others that there were giants, and that they are stronger than them, and that they are like grasshoppers in their sight would not be an encouraging word to Moses and the other Israelites. Moses' instruction (from God) was to 'BE OF GOOD COURAGE'... these words don't sound very courageous to me. The fact of the matter is that they saw themselves as 'grasshoppers'. We are not to live by what we see or feel, we are to live and walk by our faith. The faith that we have in Jesus to receive the inheritance that He has promised to us.
Canaan was the 'promised land', the land flowing of milk and honey. God had led them this far, only for them to walk by fear and not by faith. If something is 'promised' to you, that means that it is yours. (usually) A promise from God would be more reliable than a promise from man. {as I remember a promise made to me when I was little, by a little boy that he was going to marry me - and then hearing the news that he was getting married on New Year's Eve several years ago was kind of disheartening, but slam, reality!! - seriously who keeps their childhood promises?? (still love you like a brother, you know who you are). But I'm definitely happy for whom I did marry! Love you Mark!} Sometimes however, we need to do some work to receive that promise. It doesn't always come easy, but if it's promised, it usually does come. :) The Israelites just had to obey God and walk out in the PROMISE that He had given them.
Why do we always question God? Why does God always have to prove Himself for us to listen? Why do we usually rely on the circumstances around us; what we see & feel, rather than Him and His Word? Why do we need to KNOW everything before we act? Why do we not always fully receive that which He has promised us? Why does our faith seem to grow 'weaker' with age... and not remain child-like, believing God will do what He says He will do?
We need to press through, and contend for the harvest or that which He has promised to us. We need to REFUSE TO BE GRASSHOPPERS. We shouldn't see ourselves as grasshoppers, nor should we allow others to see us as grasshoppers.
Step out of your comfort zone and step into the comfort of Jesus' love as you walk out blindly in an adventure with Him. Trusting Him alone in all that you do! For according to another one of my 'life verses' if you "trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, He will direct your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Refuse to be a GRASSHOPPER... and be a FAITH-GIANT! :D Remember NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!
Check out this song that we sang at both camps:
Be blessed & be a blessing!
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