Rejecting G-d

When the Israelites crossed the Red Sea they began the journey into the inheritance that G-d had prepared for them. Unfortunately, they did not embrace it fully. Here are a couple of many examples:

1. They rejected G-d's gift of their inheritance. Numbers 13 describes their foray into Canaan and the spy's report that the land was full of giants. Then in Numbers 14 the people respond and reject G-d's gift. He then sends them to wander in the wilderness.
2. They rejected G-d's rule over them. In 1 Samuel 8 the Israelites reject G-d and demand a king like the nations surrounding them. They then get to pay taxes.
3. G-d outlines the territory that He is giving them in Joshua 1:2-4. That territory constitutes about 300,000 square miles. In the end the Israelites take 30,000 square miles. Just 10% of their promised inheritance.

We do the same thing. G-d gives each of us an inheritance and we often look at it, see it looks scary and beyond us, and walk away from it. We lack the faith to trust G-d that He will help us take down the giants that are in the way.

We reject G-d's rule over our lives. We put other priorities over Him. We establish our own kings. We put our spouses, children, money, career, ourselves on the throne of our lives and displace His rule.

When we do step into the calling and inheritance He has laid out for us we only do so half-heartedly. We only work at it for a while and with limited effort. Once we feel we have a nice little ministry, a nice little fulfillment, we stop. We leave the fullness of our calling on the table. We do not press into it with vigor.

We allow fear, selfishness, and small mindedness prevent us from taking the massive inheritance waiting for us, and from allowing G-d to rule.