19 “Then, just as the Lord our God commanded us, we left Mount Sinai and traveled through the great and terrifying wilderness, as you yourselves remember, and headed toward the hill country of the Amorites. When we arrived at Kadesh-barnea, 20 I said to you, ‘You have now reached the hill country of the Amorites that the Lord our God is giving us. 21 Look! He has placed the land in front of you. Go and occupy it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you. Don’t be afraid! Don’t be discouraged!’

22 “But you all came to me and said, ‘First, let’s send out scouts to explore the land for us. They will advise us on the best route to take and which towns we should enter.’

23 “This seemed like a good idea to me, so I chose twelve scouts, one from each of your tribes. 24 They headed for the hill country and came to the valley of Eshcol and explored it. 25 They picked some of its fruit and brought it back to us. And they reported, ‘The land the Lord our God has given us is indeed a good land.’ Deuteronomy 1 verses 19-25 (New Living Translation)

Young people (and older ones too) sometimes say they don’t want to become a Christian because they still want to have fun in life. When they say that it means that they think God is like a person with a gloomy face who is always grumpy and who makes everyone they meet unhappy too. Indeed, some people are like that! But the part of the Bible we’re looking at shows us that God was actually rescuing these people OUT of the unhappy life of being slaves in Egypt. God had sent Moses to set them free.

Moses led them to the border of the countries God was going to give them, but they were nervous and ask him if they can first ‘check out the land’. (Seems they were suspicious and doubtful about God’s plans for them.) But God was patient and allowed them to send spies. What was the report that the spies brought back? (vs 25)

Just as God was bringing them to a fruitful and good land, so Jesus encouraged His disciples to tell God about things they really needed in life. This is what He said in Matthew 7 vs 7-12: “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. You who are parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not!  So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” Jesus points out that if human parents (with all their failings) still try to give good things to their children, how much more will God do so. After all, He is full of goodness!

Does all of this sound like God wants to make our lives miserable? What fun is there in being an addict, or selfish, or proud, or rude, or dishonest, or greedy, or a liar? These things are like a ball and chain that make us slaves and destroy true joy. Jesus came to lead us into the freedom and good things that God gives. Ask God today to help you see just how much better that life is that Jesus calls us to.