Be His

These were the ones registered by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they registered the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. But among them there was not one of those who had been registered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they registered the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai. - Numbers 26:63-64

Just prior to their entry into the land that God had promised to give them, God instructed Moses to take another census of all the Israelite men 20 years of age and older. The count revealed that over the 40 years of wilderness wandering, Israel had lost a net total of 1,820 men. Some tribes grew in number, while others declined. The tribe of Simeon lost more than half of its former strength.

However, the bottom line of this story is not in the "how many," but in the "who," for not one of the men (except Joshua and Caleb) that had lived when Israel had originally turned back, survived. Exactly 648,094 men were buried in the wilderness. The cost of an unbelieving, disobedient spirit can indeed be devastating and what is lost as a result will never be regained.

Even as Christ-followers, there are some decisions that can lead to life-altering consequences. Be warned. Be wary. Be mindful. Be His.

God invites us to climb up on His heavenly throne, stand on tiptoes, and look over the clutter and lies the world has piled up in front of us. From this new vantage point, we can see that many of the things we spend endless hours investing in have very little eternal value. - Kevin Harney