Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional by Kenton Cheek

23 February 2024

Reading From Numbers 1-2

“The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. He said: “Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. You and Aaron are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more and able to serve in the army. One man from each tribe, each of them the head of his family, is to help you.”

–Numbers 1:1-4

     Some people don’t want to talk about numbers in church.  It can be an unhealthy source of pride that leads to arrogance.  An obsession about the number of members and volume of revenue is an indication of misplaced priority.  But numbers can also be something to celebrate.  It should be the desire of every follower of Jesus to see more and more people come into healthy, balanced relationship with God.  Money flowing into church ministries can be a sign of generous giving and wise financial stewardship which are both godly values. 

     God wants us to have everything we need to do His work on the Earth.  Numbers aren’t a bad thing in and of themselves.  It’s all about perspective and seeking the whole counsel of the Word of God, not just picking here and there from the buffet of Scripture.  I don’t buy into all of what the “prosperity gospel” emphasizes, but I also don’t believe that a poverty mindset is healthy either.  We must glean our values from a balanced, wholistic interpretation of Scripture.  We serve a good God who wants everyone, which would be billions of people, to be saved, healed, empowered and filled with hope.  We should want that too.

“God, I pray that I would align my priorities with Yours.  Give me right perspective on numbers that I may minister to others in a way that honors You.  I pray that billions of people would come to know You in a powerful and life-changing way.  Give Your children wisdom and knowledge to be good stewards of the resources that You’ve entrusted us with, whether it be two dollars or two hundred million.  Amen.”

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance…

…live holy and godly livesas you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.  That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

–II Peter 3:9