Explore

Explore

They said to all the people of Israel, “The land we traveled through and explored is a wonderful land!”

“WHAT SHOULD WE PUT ON THE LIST?” I asked, tapping my pen on the paper in front of me. The answers came quickly: the giant candy store. Breakfast in bed. Ice cream for dinner. A treasure hunt. Nodding in response, I filled the lines, adding my own ideas as well.

Every summer, we make a summer bucket list. My kids are old enough that everyone sleeps through the night but young enough to not have too many activities, so summers are flexible. We love to explore, especially if the day ends with ice cream. But there’s always a risk to exploring. Sometimes the location doesn’t turn out like we expected, the car ride gets long, or the kids are cranky from too much sugar or not enough sleep. Our misadventures are usually outweighed by the fun of spending time together.

Exploring happened in the Bible, as well, most notably when the Israelites escaped from slavery in Egypt. Having successfully made it through the desert, they were on the cusp of entering the land the Lord had promised when they balked. After scouts returned with a report that the land was good but occupied (with giants!), the people responded by weeping and complaining. Surely they would die in battle, they argued. Maybe they should return to Egypt. Joshua and Caleb disagreed: they shouldn’t worry about entering because God was with them. Regrettably, the people responded by threatening to stone them, and God responded to the whole mess by sending the Israelites into the desert for forty years, with only Caleb and Joshua allowed to live long enough to enter Canaan (see Numbers 14:1-30).

The Israelites allowed their fears to get the better of them and, as a result, missed out on the Promised Land. New experiences are always a risk, but what the Israelites failed to see was that God was with them. They had nothing to fear. It’s a lesson we should remind ourselves of every time we step into something new, whether it’s a bucket list item, a friendship, or a ministry opportunity. When God is with us, we need not fear exploring new things. He is faithful to remain with us always, in all the ups and downs we experience.

Lord, thank you that your presence gives us freedom from fear in exploring all this life has to offer. Amen.

-Kristin

One Good Step: Explore a new place.