Forty days shows up throughout the biblical narrative, but I had forgotten that the initial exploration of the Promised Land was one of those forty days. And the large-scale unbelief that characterized the summation of what they found there was multiplied into a year-for-every-day judgment on the whole assembly.
Having just entered the forty-day penitential season of Lent, coming face to face with the weakness of my mortal flesh, I reflect on the forty days – forty years equation. The reminder that I am dust and to dust I shall return heightens my desire for corrected vision. Lent this year will be a time to identify the ways in which I allow giant-sized obstacles and grasshopper-sized me to obscure my vision of God, and His abundant mercy and enabling that Jesus has won for me. I’m grateful for these readings. They have provided a fresh narrative in which to experience Lent. “The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.”
Good words, friend. I like the nod to how the scouts became as grasshoppers in their own eyes. I think that is the trouble. Our physical sight guides us in so many ways, but it's also where we get tripped up, wanting to walk by sight and not by faith, like Balaam with his donkey, who had better vision. But hopefully like Balaam post-donkey talk, we can eventually become those whose eyes are open. And Lent is a good time to be asking for that better vision and reminded of it. So thanks.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Balaam eventually had better vision. The wonderful irony of the dumb ass both having better sight and speaking God's words willingly before Balaam did either of the same, never ceases to smite me. Would that I would gladly be a dumb ass, or a grasshopper for that matter, but completely oblivious to any reputation of my own, good or bad, unswervingly attentive to God, the opener of my eyes. This is far from my natural inclination.
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