Too Much Information
Deuteronomy as commentary from Moses on what's happened so far in the history of Israel illuminates a very interesting point for their journey. It's Numbers 13-14. The time when the Lord told Moses to select 12 leaders and send them in to spy out the land. Here's a bit of insider information we get from Moses on what really transpired in that moment...
Deuteronomy 1:21–24 (ESV) See, the Lord your God has set the land before you. Go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has told you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’ 22 Then all of you came near me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, that they may explore the land for us and bring us word again of the way by which we must go up and the cities into which we shall come.’ 23 The thing seemed good to me, and I took twelve men from you, one man from each tribe. 24 And they turned and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and spied it out.
It is an important piece of information here for our learning. Sometimes we can ask our leaders for things we should not seek. The Word from God through Moses was go in and don't be afraid. But Israel wanted something we often ask for: MORE INFORMATION.
Here's why more information about something we should embrace by faith can be a bad thing:
First, when we ask for more information its as if we are already doubting God's power. It's as if we are saying, "God has some ideas, but we need to make sure they are good ones." And this is part of the human condition. We convince ourselves we know better than God. We love to seek out science and understanding... but what have we done with it? We have pushed out God. The problem with seeking more information is that you have already imagined you are smarter than God.
Second, when we ask for more information about what God calls us to do, we are bound to talk ourselves out of it. Think of what would happen if God laid out in detail all the things you would do with your life. Wouldn't it overwhelm you? Wouldn't it strike fear in your hearts? This is because we cannot fathom both the process God uses to accomplish things in us and through us over time AND we cannot fathom the power of God to do more for us and through us that we can ask or imagine.
Third, when we ask for more information, we may just get it. And that is perhaps the most damaging thing. You see, I don't need to understand how my computer works to do what I need to get done. I don't need to understand fuel combustion in my car's engine to drive to work. I take those realities by faith - the unknown realities that someone other than me takes care of so that I can do what I have to do.
Life with less information about what is next is often a much more freeing experience. You don't let anything other than God dictate what should be done. I'm not proposing we ignore valuable information that comes to us. But I am certainly saying we should learn to trust the voice of God over the inner desire to have all the details we may not need.
Sometimes the best thing is to act on what you BELIEVE about God instead of what you KNOW about the challenge.
Deuteronomy 1:21–24 (ESV) See, the Lord your God has set the land before you. Go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has told you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’ 22 Then all of you came near me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, that they may explore the land for us and bring us word again of the way by which we must go up and the cities into which we shall come.’ 23 The thing seemed good to me, and I took twelve men from you, one man from each tribe. 24 And they turned and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and spied it out.
It is an important piece of information here for our learning. Sometimes we can ask our leaders for things we should not seek. The Word from God through Moses was go in and don't be afraid. But Israel wanted something we often ask for: MORE INFORMATION.
Here's why more information about something we should embrace by faith can be a bad thing:
First, when we ask for more information its as if we are already doubting God's power. It's as if we are saying, "God has some ideas, but we need to make sure they are good ones." And this is part of the human condition. We convince ourselves we know better than God. We love to seek out science and understanding... but what have we done with it? We have pushed out God. The problem with seeking more information is that you have already imagined you are smarter than God.
Second, when we ask for more information about what God calls us to do, we are bound to talk ourselves out of it. Think of what would happen if God laid out in detail all the things you would do with your life. Wouldn't it overwhelm you? Wouldn't it strike fear in your hearts? This is because we cannot fathom both the process God uses to accomplish things in us and through us over time AND we cannot fathom the power of God to do more for us and through us that we can ask or imagine.
Third, when we ask for more information, we may just get it. And that is perhaps the most damaging thing. You see, I don't need to understand how my computer works to do what I need to get done. I don't need to understand fuel combustion in my car's engine to drive to work. I take those realities by faith - the unknown realities that someone other than me takes care of so that I can do what I have to do.
Life with less information about what is next is often a much more freeing experience. You don't let anything other than God dictate what should be done. I'm not proposing we ignore valuable information that comes to us. But I am certainly saying we should learn to trust the voice of God over the inner desire to have all the details we may not need.
Sometimes the best thing is to act on what you BELIEVE about God instead of what you KNOW about the challenge.
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