Bibledoorajar: Comparing Old Traits

     As the children marched on they came near to a good place to go through to the Promised Land. However, there was a potential problem. The land they had to go through was Edom and was inhabited by the heirs of Esau. Esau, unlike his brother, Jacob, had been a man of weapons (See Gen, 27:3) and  his destiny was not that he or his peoples would be exiled for a period as did Jacob. Jacob's heirs were to develop as a journeying people of faith living in tents rather than one of dependence on weaponry and fortresses. Moses approached the leaders of Edom and asked for permission to go through their land promising to not use their water or produce. He even recited old history of how his people had been told they would be exiled prior to receiving their land inheritance thinking that this might impress and soften the hearts of the kinfolk. However, years of long engrained traits and feelings arose and the Edomites refused to let them go through. To avoid any trouble with brothers (kinfolk), especially involving weapons, the children of Israel kept marching and finally arrived at the land possessed by the Canaanites.
     At this point the children of Israel surprise us by showing forth appropriate traits for God's people. Instead of grumbling or complaining, they prayed and asked God for success in going through the land. In the meantime, Arad, the Canaanite leader, saw them from afar. Perhaps he remembered the stealth traits of the twelve spies who years before had made it past he and his weapons without notice. At any rate, Arad decided to not wait for the people to get nearer, but instead  took his men with weapons out to attack. But God had heard the prayers of His people asking for help to go through and so Arad failed in his attempt.
     The children of Israel had a great chance to compare the arm of flesh regaled with all its' weaponry to strategy that involved the help of the Lord God of the Universe. In honoring Him with their words of prayer for success they prevailed. John says that we ,too, can prevail in our journey of "going throughs" by boldly approaching the throne of God in prayer accompanied by confidence. He put it this way:

"This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us".  1 John 5:12

Jesus tells us that He is more than willing to help us achieve all things that will bring glory to the Father. These are the traits of a journeying people who love God and trust His help to deal with anything that they are going through. We ever depend on our Protector and Provider. The well known song below is of unknown origin. Perhaps it is a song that anonymously comes from all of our hearts.

"Just a closer walk with Thee

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea

Daily walking close to Thee

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be"