Fear can paralyze but faith propels us to follow God.

恐惧令人裹足不前，信心使人跟随上帝。

The  is with us. Do not be afraid of them. Numbers 14:9

有耶和华与我们同在，不要怕他们！-民数记14章9节

“My husband was offered a promotion in another country, but I feared leaving our home, so he reluctantly declined the offer,” my friend shared with me. She explained how apprehension over such a big change kept her from embracing a new adventure, and that she sometimes wondered what they missed in not moving.

朋友向我倾吐心声：“丈夫获得升迁可以到国外工作，但我却害怕离乡背井，他只好放弃机会。”她说自己当初因害怕生活的改变而裹足不前，但事后却又常常想到，她是否因此而错失了一些新的体验。

The Israelites let their anxieties paralyze them when they were called to inhabit a rich and fertile land that flowed “with milk and honey” (Ex. 33:3). When they heard the reports of the powerful people in large cities (Num. 13:28), they started to fear. The majority of the Israelites rejected the call to enter the land.

当上帝吩咐以色列民进入富饶、肥沃的“流奶与蜜之地”时（出埃及记33章3节） ，百姓却因害怕而裹足不前。他们一听到大城的居民高大强壮（民数记13章28节）就惊惧害怕，大多数的百姓都拒绝上帝的呼召，不愿进入迦南地。

But Joshua and Caleb urged them to trust in the Lord, saying, “Do not be afraid of the people in the land” for the “ is with us” (14:9). Although the people there appeared large, they could trust the Lord to be with them.

但约书亚和迦勒却力劝百姓要信靠耶和华，不要怕那地的居民，因为有耶和华与他们同在（14章9节）。虽然，那地的居民看似高大勇猛，但以色列民可以全然信靠与他们同在的上帝。

My friend wasn’t commanded to move to another country like the Israelites were, yet she regretted letting fear close off the opportunity. What about you—do you face a fearful situation? If so, know that the Lord is with you and will guide you. With His never-failing love, we can move forward in faith.

我的朋友虽不像以色列民那样，清楚接获迁居他乡的命令，但却同样因惧怕而错失良机，徒留遗憾！你是否也正面对令你畏惧的情况？别忘了主与你同在，祂必引导你，祂的慈爱永远长存，凭着信心往前行吧！

Loving Father, may I not let my fear stop me from following You, for I know that You will always love me and will never leave me.

亲爱的天父，求祢帮助我，

让我不要因为惧怕，转而不跟随祢。
深知祢永远爱我，并永不离弃我。

Numbers 13:25-14:9New International Version (NIV)

25 At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.

Report on the Exploration

26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit.28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there.29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.”

30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.”

31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

The People Rebel

14 That night all the members 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 wilderness! 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.”

5 Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. 6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8 If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9 Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”

整理：于姊妹