On this side or beyond the Jordan ?

"Our little children, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle shall be there in the cities of Gilead ; and thy servants, all equipped for the army, shall pass before the LORD to go to war ..." Numbers 32:26, ​​27

After 40 years of wandering in the desert, the people of Israel finally find themselves on the borders of the promised country. Seeing the prairies of the land of Gilead, the members of the tribes of Reuben and Gad, particularly rich in flocks, send their leaders to Moses, saying : "Do not let us pass the Jordan" (Numbers 32: 5). They give up passing the Jordan, a boundary fixed by God. They think they have found better than the promised land of God! Moses is troubled and takes them severely. They insist, bringing with them the half tribe of Manasseh. Moses eventually accedes to their request on condition that they continue to fight alongside the other tribes during the conquest of the land of Canaan, which they accept. Joshua, who will lead the people to conquest, confirms this agreement : "Your wives, your children, and your flocks will dwell in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan ; and ye shall pass armed before your brethren, all ye valiant men" (Joshua 1:14).

To some extent, they have kept their word. Only forty thousand combatants of these two and a half tribes, out of a total of about one hundred and ten thousand, joined the other tribes and crossed the Jordan with the ark. So there were seventy thousand to keep the families and the flocks. Comfortably settled on this side of the border, these families will benefit from the blessings of divine providence but not from the blessings of conquering victory and the inheritance prepared by God.

Nowadays, is not it sometimes the same at the level of Christianity ? Some Christians remain "on the side of the Jordan". They are saved, no doubt ; they are part of the people of God. But the affairs of everyday life interest them more than the promises of God. In fact, they ignore the exhortation of Jesus : "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all this will be given to you above" (Matt 6:33).

Let's update. In fact, the land of Canaan represents our present spiritual heritage. The latter belongs to us, but we must take possession of it by obeying the Word of God, relying on the promises of God and fighting "the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12).

Source (To pleasing the Lord)