This morning I read Hebrews 3 . I was cut to the bone. The chapter is presenting a type/antitype comparison of Moses and the Israelite nation to Jesus and His church. The last part of the chapter really got me thinking -- and praying for forgiveness.

¹⁶Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? ¹⁷And with whom was he angry for forty years? was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? ¹⁸And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? ¹⁹So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. - Hebrews 3:16-19, NIV

Now the thought that was brought to mind was a bit circuitous, but follow me.

There were various sins committed by those that did not enter the promised land, but the sin that condemned them to a 40 year stint in the wilderness was the sin of unbelief.

¹ That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. ² All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! ³ Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" ⁴ And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt." - Numbers 14:1-4, NIV

In fact, thinking back over the various sins of the children of Israel, they were virtually all sins of disbelief. Think about the multiple times that the children of Israel complained because of lack of water or food. (For example, the time they ran out of water at Massah.)

In the case of taking Canaan, they had very clear direction from God of what they should do, but in the matter of food and drink, there was no specific detail on when and where they would be satiated. What was clear is that God was committed to caring for them. We can see this now, but they forgot.

Back to Hebrews: the author is making the point that it was because of the Israelite's sin that they could not enter the promised land. This sounds like righteousness by works, but wait! The sin was unbelief! It was because of a lack of faith that the children of Israel could not enter the promised land. All they needed to do was believe God and they would have been fine -- they would have entered the promised land.

I look at my own life; my life is a life of belief! Here are a few of them. I believe that

• the 7th day is the Sabbath
• Jesus is God
• God loves me
• the dead are really dead
• etc.

Hallelujah! I'm gonna be saved, right? I believe all these important beliefs!

I have no desire to discount or reduce the potency of God's truth; these things are important, but they are important because of a deeper truth that the children of Israel failed to believe, and that I too falter on: God loves me!

I've never had opportunity to worry about having food to eat (well, once I did), water to drink, or whether or not I will be victorious in a fight against a heathen nation. The things I worry about are so much more insignificant! I worry about:

• getting good grades
• preforming well at work
• keeping up with my bills
• finding time to relax
• making my house look nice

I am tempting the Lord just like the Israelites at Massah! I am doubting God just like Moses' band abandoning plans to enter the promised land. I should be trusting God to take care of all these things!

This is why Jesus tells me not to worry about my life, because if I worry about my life I am doubting the Saviour. How can I be saved by a Saviour I do not trust.

Lord, forgive me for my unbelief. Help me to believe.