The way God told Moses to send the Israelite spies into the land was a reminder to him and the Israelites of His promise to give them the land (Numbers 13:2). The land of Canaan was a good land, flowing with milk and honey, which made it a land worth fighting for. God would drive the people out of the land so His people could take possession of it. They had nothing to worry about. Yet, they rebelled against God and refused to go into the land where they would have had rest and all of their needs provided for.

Later in Scripture, the land of Canaan is used as a picture of heaven – our place of rest. (See Hebrews 4.) The Israelites had left slavery in Egypt and endured a trek through the wilderness to make it to the Promised Land, which their sin prevented them from entering. Likewise, through Jesus, we are freed from the slavery to sin, yet we continue to live in the wilderness – a fallen and broken world. However, in light of eternity, our journey to our Promised Land is short, and we are called to trust God in faithfulness as we journey on, placing our hope in His promise to bring us home to the place of our rest. 

• How might the hope of what God has in store for you in heaven change the way you approach each day now?