There Are Giants

by Brent Goodge

Twelve men set out on an expedition. They knew where they planned to live, but they decided to check out the neighborhood before moving in. They had left a fertile river delta a year or two before. Since that time, they had traversed a barren desert. Now they had finally arrived. They were home.

The area had something for everyone. There were mountains with ocean vistas. There were hills with beautiful streams, crystal clear lakes, a winding river, and plains seemingly designed for fields of grain. The settlers found one more thing that took them by surprise. Giants. Seriously, actual giants. Not legends. Not imagination. Real, walking, talking, literal, angry giants.

After almost six weeks of exploration, the explorers returned to camp and gave their report. They told of the amazing land they had seen. They even brought back produce they had found as proof of their tales. Ten of the twelve explorers were determined to tell the rest of the travelers that the land could not be inhabited—the giants were too great to overcome.

Caleb and Joshua told a different story. They didn’t argue with the report, but they disputed the conclusions. God had promised Israel that He would give them the land of Canaan, and there was no giant that could stand in the way of God’s promise.

Numbers Chapter 13 and 14 are some of the saddest chapters in the Bible. God’s people refused to believe His promises. As a result, God couldn’t keep the promises, at least not right then. Whatever each spy believed actually turned out to be true for themselves. The ten spies did not believe they could conquer Canaan, and they were right. They died the very next day (Numbers 14:36-37). Caleb and Joshua believed God would give them the land of Canaan, and they were also right. It took forty years, but they stood as conquerors over the bodies of the giants (Joshua 14:6-13).

Are there giants in your life that tell you God’s promises can’t come true? Do evil habits, unhealthy relationships, insurmountable debt, or just the weariness of life make you doubt the Word of the One who holds all power in Heaven and Earth at His disposal? (Matthew 28:18).

Like Israel, we are standing on the very borders of the promised land, the heavenly promised land (John 14:13). Read Matthew 24. The words tumble off the page as if Jesus was reading today’s headlines instead of predicting

a world two thousand years in advance. He said, “When you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!” (Matthew 24:33).

Whatever we truly believe will come true. If we believe the giants make it impossible to claim the Kingdom of Heaven, the giants will indeed keep us out. If, like Caleb and Joshua, we stand on God’s Word instead of what our eyes can see, we will hear the words of Christ, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” and we will go home.

About The Author Brent Goodge lives in Whitfield County and desires to walk with Jesus, whatever conditions that might lead to.

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