The Men Who Will Help You

“When things don’t go ‘right’ we blame others or ourselves, muddle through as best we can, often with considerable crankiness… We need a lot of help.

We need organizational help. When people live together in community, jobs have to be assigned, leaders appointed, inventories kept. Counting and list-making and rosters are as much a part of being a community of God as prayer and instruction and justice. ….

And we need relational help. The people who find themselves called and led and commanded by God find themselves in the company of men and women who sin a lot… We need help getting along with each other. Wise discipline is required in becoming a people of God.

It follows that counting and quarreling take up considerable space in the book of Numbers.” The Message Introduction to Numbers

It sounds a lot like life in the military – counting, list-making, rosters. It seems useless but there is a purpose behind it all.

* * * * * * *

We honor our Veterans today. Those who “toed the line” and “stood up to be counted.” They did not sign on the dotted line to go to war. They joined to help.

When there are floods – they help.
When there are wildfires – they help.
When there are hurricanes – they help.
When there are tornadoes – they help.

Soldiers are never there to make war; they are there to keep the peace.

* * * * * * *

God notices helpers. In the first 2 chapters of Numbers, God is counting the able-bodied men. He is building an army to protect his people. He gave the names of men in each tribe to help Moses count.

Numbers 1:5, “These are the names of the men who will help you:” The Message

Soldiers are the first to arrive and the last to leave. They will do any duty assigned to them no matter how boring. They do a lot of counting.

God promotes helpers. The men who counted in Numbers 1 were the leaders in Numbers 2.

Military life is a calling. Those called will never be happy until they answer that call. (No matter how hard their mother tries to talk them out of it. Don’t ask me how I know.)

“Moses discovered that when you’re not fulfilling your God-given dream, a king’s palace won’t make you happy.” The Word for You Today, November 11, 2018

Have you thanked a Veteran today?

#bible