And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
Numbers 14:4

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Read Numbers 13:1–14:38

One year into the COVID-19 pandemic, The New York Times published an article titled, “Why We Romanticize the Past.” The article listed a litany of things we found bothersome before the pandemic. “Our general tendency to recall positive memories over negative ones,” the article stated, “is especially pronounced when we feel discomfort in the present.” In the midst of pandemic toilet-paper shortages, restrictions on large gatherings, and wearing masks, most of us craved our pre-COVID annoyances, which no longer seemed so bad.

Israel felt a similar longing for the good old days after Moses sent 12 men to scout out the Promised Land. They returned to camp 40 days later with proof of the land’s abundance. “It does flow with milk and honey!” they assured Moses—but then followed up with some notso-good news: the people who lived there, they claimed, were giants and could easily destroy the Israelites. This bad report spread, and soon all the Israelites protested against Moses and Aaron. Gripped with fear, they missed Egypt—the very place God had rescued them from!

Sometimes, the Israelites’ response to Moses—and to God—can be confounding. They watched God deliver them out of Egypt by parting the Red Sea so they could escape Pharaoh’s army. Then God brought them victory against the Amalekites! They knew God would fight their battles, but upon hearing about the giants in the Promised Land, they grumbled against God and threatened to revolt against Moses. Surely, experiencing God’s miracles and His leading them to a new home would be better than returning to enslavement in Egypt, right? But their fear of the unknown created so much discomfort in the present that their past looked pretty good.

If we’re honest, we can be a little like the Israelites. Despite the progress we’ve made or the deliverance God has provided, at the first sign of difficult circumstances, it can be tempting to relapse back to the very thing that was bringing us down or holding us captive. Surely that horrid job or toxic relationship wasn’t so bad, we tell ourselves. It’s better than the unknown. Caleb and Joshua, unlike the other ten men who explored Canaan, believed God would bring them victory in the Promised Land, just as God said he would. It’s not easy to stand against the majority, but Caleb and Joshua believed in a faithful God.

A STORY OF THEN & NOW
Only God | Nicole B. | Willow South Barrington
Have you ever had a big dream? The kind that felt too bold, too impossible—and yet you couldn’t shake the feeling that it was from God? That’s the story of Willow’s Care Center.

Back then God placed a vision in the hearts of Willow’s leaders and staff to bring all of the church’s care ministries under one roof—to create a space that was warm, welcoming, and f illed with dignity. We dreamed of a place at the very heart of the church, where people could come in with a need and leave seen, loved, and cared for. This dream was bigger than us. We knew without God, it would never happen.

At the time, the US was in the middle of an economic downturn. Resources were tight, and all logic said “not now.” But we believed. We invited all of Willow to believe too—to give sacrificially and trust God for the outcome. Miraculously, the entire Care Center project was fully funded before we even broke ground.

Then came the next mountain: we needed hundreds of volunteers to serve with compassion and consistency. Once again, God provided. People responded in droves, ready to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

My faith stretched in that season. I learned to believe—not just for what I could see, but for what only God could do. And He delivered. He still delivers, every single day. The Care Center stands as proof that when we dare to believe God for something huge, He shows up even bigger. It’s truly the church in action.

DID YOU KNOW?
Joshua’s original name was Hoshua (“salvation” in Hebrew), but when Moses chose him to be one of twelve leaders sent to explore the Promised Land, Moses changed his name to Joshua, “the Lord saves”—a reminder to the people of Israel that while Joshua may be leading the Israelites into battle, victory comes from God and God alone.

A PRAYER
God, I long to have eyes of faith like Joshua and Caleb, but sometimes I find it difficult to believe You’ll deliver me from unknown troubles. Help me to trust that You’re orchestrating the path forward, even when I cannot see what lies ahead. Amen.

FOR REFLECTION
Why do you think Joshua and Caleb were able to speak with such great confidence about going into Canaan? Think of a time when you were able to embrace your belief that God would take care of the unknown future.

Describe a time that you had to stand in faith against the majority. What helped prepare you to do so? What were the results?