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Grape Bearers or Grasshoppers?

Shortly before he died, Moses shared a special song with his people. To put this into context, let’s review the basics of the Exodus story.

Because Moses had listened to God, he was able to help bring the Children of Israel out of Egypt, where they were slaves. Yet, Israel wandered in the desert for 38 years longer than they had to, because they wouldn’t take God at His word and go where God asked them to go. God directed them to take possession of the hill country of the Amorites, but when they got close, they started having reservations. So they sent 12 hand-picked men on a reconnaissance mission.

These men found an amazingly fertile valley. When they cut off a branch with a single cluster of grapes,

Numbers 13:23
“two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs.”

That must have been some cluster of grapes!

When they reported back to Moses, they acknowledged that the land really did flow with milk and honey, just as God said. But they also reported that they had seen giants, and the cities were “fortified up to heaven” – as if to say that God hadn’t told them everything.

Caleb tried to sway the skeptics. He confidently urged,

Numbers 13:30
“We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

Caleb believed that God would provide a way to overcome the challenges.

More than remembering the bounty of the valley or God’s promise to them, however, most of the twelve scouts focused on the giants they had seen and feared.

Numbers 13:33b
“We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

They fed the people’s apprehension, and fear prevailed.

Moses tried to remind the Israelites about the amazing things God had done for them in getting them out of Egypt. Had they forgotten how he provided manna for them to eat? Did they not remember how God saved them from Pharaoh’s soldiers by parting the sea?

Yet, in spite of God’s past protection and provision, they were afraid to trust God again. They balked at going where God wanted to send them. So it took them 40 years to get to the land that God promised them, 38 of those years just wandering around lost and miserable before they learned to trust God enough to count on His protection.

As Moses neared death, he handed over the reins of leadership to Joshua and asked that the elders be gathered so he could speak to them. He reminded them that their track record had left much to be desired. Then he tried one more time to get them to understand the nature of God’s care and protection. He gave them a wonderful visual image in the following words, which I have slightly paraphrased:

Deuteronomy 32:10-11
“He found you in a desert land, and in the howling waste of wilderness;
He encircled you, he cared for you, he kept you as the apple of his eye.

Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that hovers over its young,
spreading out its wings and catching them when they fall from the nest, bearing them on its feathers,
Just so did the Lord alone lead you.”

This image is an excellent metaphor for the way God provides – not only for those individuals in our lives who are vulnerable, but also for those of us who care for them … and who have our own vulnerabilities.

Sometimes God offers us promising new “lands” of opportunity, but we may fear to go there. We’re apprehensive about entering a new situation to take hold of God’s bounty, because when it comes to handling the challenges that accompany this new situation, we see ourselves as grasshoppers. We may even assume that those presenting the challenges see us as grasshoppers, too. But God does not.

God would have us remember the wings of protection that hover over us and that will catch us if we fall. If God provides the opportunity, will he not provide the way?

“Heavenly Father, thank you for your amazing care and protection. Help us to trust that you will give us the means to attain your goal for us and for our vulnerable loved ones. Give us faith and wisdom to guide our decisions and actions, so that we take hold of your promises and are not wandering around, wondering where we should go. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”