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Daily Devotional

Claiming Our Promised Land

July 31, 2014 - 5:00 am

This Devotional's Hebrew Word


(Spring)

From Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the gorge, even as far as Gilead, not one town was too strong for us. The LORD our God gave us all of them. But in accordance with the command of the LORD our God, you did not encroach on any of the land of the Ammonites, neither the land along the course of the Jabbok nor that around the towns in the hills. — Deuteronomy 2:36–37

The Torah portion for this week is Devarim which means “words,” from Deuteronomy 1:1–3:22, and the Haftorah is from Isaiah 1:1–­27.

These days, there’s a lot of pressure to be good at everything. We must be the smartest, the most successful, the best looking, and the most physically fit. The world suggests that we be technologically savvy, socially flawless, modern, yet traditional. We need to make time for family, yet work long hours. Spiritually, we may feel pressured to exceed in all areas of character development.

But in reality, we are not built to be everything. We were made to be something – something wonderful and unique.

In this week’s Torah portion, as Moses recounted the past 40 years in the desert, he recalled the beginning of the campaign to conquer Canaan. Interestingly, Moses mentioned three different areas through which the Israelites had passed – through the land of Esau, Ammon, and Moab – and he specified how the children of Israel were told not to conquer those lands because God had given those areas to those people.

The Israelites didn’t approach the Promised Land like over-enthusiastic conquerors interested in colonizing the world. They were focused on claiming their particular piece of land – the everlasting portion given to them by God. They were forbidden from taking any other land and warned that should they try, they would surely fail, since God would not be on their side.

In contrast, when it came to the land that was intended for the Israelites, they were commanded to take hold of it completely. These particular areas happened to be inhabited by the giants Sihon and Og. Unlike the lands that the Israelites were forbidden to conquer, the land that they were required to take seemed comparatively impossible to overcome. How could they defeat giants? But God assured them, “See, I have given into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his country . . .” (2:24). With God on their side, the Israelites were assured victory.

Just as the Israelites were forbidden from taking other people’s land, and likewise commanded to possess their own land no matter how many obstacles stood in their way, so, too, we are required to go and claim our own Promised Land. Each of us has a place in the world, a destiny that only we can fulfil. We each have our own unique strengths, treasures, and talents. Don’t attempt to take over someone else’s territory by trying to become someone that you weren’t created to be. Go and conquer your own God-given territory, and you will find success.

Where is your Promised Land? Is it in the field of medicine? Is it in raising a family? Is it in teaching God’s Word? Pray to God that He direct you to your place – and then go toward it in faith and confidence.

     

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