THEN

Today's reading: Numbers 21-24

"And Israel was victorious and killed King Og, his sons , and his subjects; not a single survivor remained. Then Israel occupied their land." Numbers 21:35 NLT

To many of you the very thought of me writing a post about sports will be laughable.

Other than being able to distinguish a football from a basketball from a baseball from a soccer ball, I am clueless about anything 'ball' or sports equipment related.

But I thought of this...

When a team chooses not to play, or play their hardest, and their opponents win, it's said they have 'handed them a win'. Isn't that right?

The team didn't do what was required. The team didn't play together well. The team's heads weren't in the game. The team chose not to do what was necessary--to even be seen as having tried.

Isn't it the same for us as believers?

I read about the Israelites traveling through to the Promised Land, where there were enemies and obstacles and tough times.

Today's verse alone states that the Israelites only tasted the sweetness of victory AFTER they had engaged in battle.

But us? Christians living in 2025. Believers sitting in soft pews in a country where religious freedom is handed to us on a silver platter?

We want easy.

We want to win, but not get our hands dirty.

We want the victory, but we don't want to even step a hairy toe on to the battlefield.

We want all God has in store for us, but we want Him to deliver it on a silver platter while we relax with our feet propped up!

He's God. He can do that, but I don't believe He will. He surely shouldn't!

Christians, let's put some effort into our faith walks. Let's get our hands dirty attempting to serve God with our whole hearts. Let's take a few steps outside our comfort zones. Let's at least stand for what is right.

Then? Then we will be able to occupy the lands He has for us!