31 Days of Prayer: DAY 15

FOCUS VERSE: "Then they gave their report: “We entered the land to which you sent us. It’s actually full of milk and honey, and this is its fruit." ——Numbers 13:27 (CEB)

PRAYER OF PRESENCE:

Holy and abiding God,
In this sacred moment, we turn our attention to You.
Still the noise around us and within us,
That we might hear Your gentle whisper of grace.
Open our eyes to Your light,
Our hearts to Your love,
And our souls to the peace that only You can give.
Meet us here, O Lord, as we offer ourselves fully to Your presence,
Trusting in Your steadfast care and boundless mercy.
With gratitude and hope, we are here—present with You. Amen.

SCRIPTURE: Numbers 13:25-33

HYMN FOR REFLECTION:
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mgte3EA83U

Father of Jesus Christ, My Lord
Charles Wesley, 1707–1788

1. Father of Je­sus Christ, my Lord,
   My Sav­ior and my head;
   I trust in Thee, whose pow­er­ful Word
   Hath raised Him from the dead.

2. In hope, against all hu­man hope,
   Self des­per­ate, I be­lieve;
   Thy quick­en­ing Word shall raise me up,
   Thou shalt Thy Spir­it give.

3. Faith, migh­ty faith, the pro­mise sees,
   And looks to that alone;
   Laughs at im­pos­si­bi­li­ties,
   And cries, It shall be done!

4. To Thee the glo­ry of Thy pow­er
   And faith­ful­ness I give;
   I shall in Christ, at that glad hour,
   And Christ in me shall live.

5. Obedient faith that waits on Thee,
   Thou ne­ver wilt re­prove;
   But Thou wilt form Thy Son in me,
   And per­fect me in love.

REFLECTION:

I love the stories of the people of Israel on their journey out of Egypt toward the Promised Land. Even though I’ve read these stories many times, they always seem new—revealing fresh truths, drawing my attention to contemporary realities, and placing a mirror before my face so I can see more clearly the condition of humanity, including my own.

Among all these stories, Numbers 13 stands out as one that must always be remembered and reflected upon. After the people had fled Egypt, journeyed through the Reed Sea, witnessed the miraculous defeat of Pharaoh and his armies, and received God’s covenant at Mount Sinai, they finally arrived at the edge of the land God had promised to their ancestors.

This moment is nothing short of extraordinary. They are within striking distance of receiving the fulfillment of what Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and his descendants had believed by faith. The promises passed down through generations are now within their grasp. And yet, despite everything they had witnessed—God’s mighty acts of deliverance, provision, and protection—their response reveals a sobering truth about the human condition: fear and doubt often speak louder than faith.

As the story unfolds, we see Moses sending twelve spies into the land of Canaan to explore it and bring back a report. They confirm the land is everything God had promised—flowing with milk and honey, abundant and fruitful. But their report doesn’t end there. Ten of the spies focus on the challenges: the fortified cities, the strength of the inhabitants, and the giants who make them feel like grasshoppers.

Only Caleb and Joshua stand firm, urging the people to trust in God’s promise and move forward. They remind the Israelites that the same God who delivered them from Egypt, parted the sea, and provided Manna in the wilderness is still with them and will give them victory. But fear spreads like wildfire through the camp, drowning out the voices of faith.

In moments like this, I am reminded of the words from Charles Wesley’s hymn, Father of Jesus Christ, My Lord: “Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees / And looks to that alone / Laughs at impossibilities / And cries, It shall be done!”

This stanza captures the essence of the faith Caleb and Joshua demonstrated—a faith that sees the promises of God and refuses to be daunted by seemingly impossible circumstances. Their courage stands in sharp contrast to the fear of the other spies, reminding us that faith fixes its eyes on God’s power, not human limitations.

Numbers 13 serves as a reminder that faith and fear cannot coexist in the same space. It challenges us to listen to the Calebs and Joshuas in our lives—the voices that point us back to God’s faithfulness, urging us to trust in His promises even when the odds seem insurmountable.

And so, this story invites us to pause and ask: What “Canaan” stands before us today? What promises of God are we hesitant to claim because the obstacles seem too great? And where do we need to step out in faith, trusting that the God who has been with us every step of the way will not fail us now?

May we remember the lessons of Numbers 13, choosing faith over fear, courage over hesitation, and trust in God over reliance on ourselves. For the God who brought us to this point is faithful to bring us through it.

CLOSING PRAYER:

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end, nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always,
though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

—Thomas Merton (1915-1968)

WEEKLY PRACTICE: Jan 12 - 17 (Sun - Sat)

Praise: Celebrations of God’s Presence in Prayer

What was begun anew at Christmas with the birth of Christ stays with us in this new year. With God’s presence and guidance we have much to celebrate and be thankful. So, take a moment to actively lift up in your prayers the God we love and adore just as we did when celebrating his birth at Christmas. In fact, consider the celebratory nature of the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and the awe and wonder of God at work in creation. God truly provides all we need in body, heart, and mind with a greatness that far exceeds anything we can imagine. 

Glory to God in the highest! May we all see God’s handywork and lift words of praise. Amen.