JOYFUL WORDS
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Speaking
  • Writing
  • Hospitality
  • About Sheri

Grasshoppers & Giants

9/5/2019

2 Comments

 
…we cannot attack these people; they are too strong for us.  Numbers 13:31

I was reading the story of the Israelites in the book of numbers and it seemed like such an ancient, un-relatable story at first.  I picked up a commentary on this particular section and it talked about the Israelites scoping out their new land and finding the Anakim who were known as a race of giants. (Best guess is that they were somewhere around 9 feet tall.  One of the most famous of this tribe which were defeated and scattered was none other than Goliath of David and Goliath fame.)  The Israelites told Moses they must seem like mere grasshoppers compared to them.  That image stuck in my head!

Take a minute and just imagine a giant and a grasshopper standing side by side…pretty lopsided image isn’t it.  Things get really spooky when we think about ourselves being that grasshopper standing next to  a 9 foot tall person who could squish us.  It sort of makes you shake in your boots a little doesn’t it.

All of this vivid imagining led me to wonder about the times and situations that make me feel exactly like that grasshopper next to the giant. Sometimes the giant is finances or poor health or a  mountain of laundry flanked by piles of paperwork. Sometimes it’s loneliness or infertility or a troubled relationship. Giants come in many forms for sure!  The Israelite grasshopper were terrified and overwhelmed at the thought of facing down  something as big and powerful as a giant.  Many of them were ready to turn tail and run because they just couldn’t fathom a way out of the situation.  I can honestly say I have shared their hopelessness.  When I’m tired and the list of tasks and responsibilities is far beyond what little is left in my tank it’s tempting to want to run off screaming!

The grasshoppers faced the giants though.  They might have felt silly and unprepared and unequipped but they charged it to battle.  They might have felt overwhelmed and outnumbered but they went after it head down full steam ahead.  The image of grasshoppers leaping toward a giant seems funny at best.  I can imagine a cartoon giant simply swatting those grasshoppers away with the flick of a wrist.  That image doesn’t provide much hope and courage either but that’s because we’re missing the point.

It doesn’t matter how “grasshopperish” we feel and it doesn’t matter how fierce and mighty the giants of our day are; the answer lies beyond the grasshopper and the giant.  The Israelites didn’t drive the giants off because of their own power or brilliance or skill, they triumphed not because of WHO they were but because of WHOSE they were.

As we face the giants in our path, we need to arm ourselves with the truth of WHOSE we are.  There is no giant that can match the power, strength and wisdom of the God who created us in his image.  He will fight for us, he will rescue us and he will strengthen us for any battle.  In case you have been feeling a little “grasshopperish” lately, maybe this will help you tackle your giants.

A Seed To Plant:  Make a list of the giants making you feel like a grasshopper and ask the Lord to show you how to conquer each one of them.​

Blessings on your day!
2 Comments
Mary Jo Halfman
9/5/2019 06:18:50 am

I woke up feeling overwhelmed with my list of tasks, then I read this message and feel more hopeful I can manage my list. Thank you for inspiring me!

Reply
Karen
9/5/2019 08:36:01 am

Prayers for you!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Joyful Words magnet picture

    ​Click on the items below to expand the options available to you to explore the Joyful Words blog.

    Categories

    All
    1 Corinthians
    1 John
    1 Thessalonians
    2 Corinthians
    Acts Of Love
    Advent
    Ageing
    All In
    Amazing
    Anxiety
    Armor Of God
    Asking For Help
    Bad Habits
    Balance
    Baptism
    Be
    Beauty
    Being Gracious
    Blessed Mother Teresa Of Calcutta
    Blessing
    Blessings
    Brokenness
    Carry Our Cross
    Catholic Education
    Change
    Changes
    Cheerfulness
    Children
    Choices
    Christian Belief
    Christmas
    Colossians
    Commitment
    Comparisons
    Compassion
    Consistent
    Content
    Contentment
    Courage
    Crosses
    Crumbs
    Dad
    Daughters Of God
    Delight
    Desire
    Desire God
    Details
    Dicipleship
    Die To Self
    Discipleship
    Dissapointment
    Dying To Self
    Easter
    Ecclesiastes
    Education
    Election
    Encouragement
    Enemy
    Ephesians
    Evangelization
    Exodus
    Expectations
    Faith
    Faithfulness
    Falling Short
    Family
    Fathers Love
    Fear
    Flag
    Footstool
    Forgiveness
    Fresh Start
    Friendship
    Fr. Mike
    Fr. Mike Schmitz
    Galatians
    Generosity
    God In Everyday Things
    God In Scripture
    Gods Beloved
    God's Enough
    God's Forgiveness
    Gods Gifts
    God's Guidance
    God's Love
    Gods Love
    God's Plan
    Gods P Lan
    God's Restoration
    Gods Strength
    God's Timing
    Gods Timing
    Gods Ways
    God's Will
    Gods Will
    Goodness
    Good News
    Grace
    Grandma
    Grandpa
    Gratefulness
    Gratitude
    Greatness
    Gretness
    Grief
    Happiness
    Healing
    Heart
    Heaven
    Hebrews
    He Chose Me
    Holiness
    Holy Spirit
    Holy Thrusday
    Holy Thursday
    Holy Week
    Hope
    Humble
    Humility
    Identity In Christ
    Intimacy
    Isaiah
    James
    Jeremiah
    John
    Joshua
    Joy
    Judgement
    Justice
    Kids
    Kindne
    Kindness
    Labor
    Laughter
    Lent
    Lessons
    Light
    Listening
    Little
    Love
    Lovelies
    Luke
    Mark
    Marriage
    Mary
    Matthew
    Meekness
    Mercy
    Mom
    Mornings
    Mud
    Obedience
    Openness
    Parenting
    Parentng
    Patience
    Peace
    Pentacost
    People
    Perseverance
    Perspeceive
    Perspective
    Philippians
    Pioneers
    Pleasing God
    Poor
    Porch
    Positive
    Possibilities
    Pray
    Prayer
    Priorities
    Promises
    Proverbs
    Psalm
    Relationship
    Religion
    Respect
    Romans
    Sacrifice
    Sacrifices
    Sainthood
    Saints
    Samuel
    Scripture
    Seeking God
    Service
    Serving God
    Signs
    Silence
    Simple
    Sin
    Sinfulness
    Slow Down
    Small Stuff
    Steve Ray
    Stillness
    St. Mary's 4th Of July
    Strength
    Stress
    Suffering
    Surprises
    Surrender
    Temptation
    Thanks
    The Right Thing
    Time
    Troubled Times
    Trust
    Trust In God
    Truth
    Understanding
    Unravelled
    Valentines
    Waiting
    Weddings
    Word Of The Year
    Words
    Works Of Mercy
    Worry


    ​Archives

    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012


    Back to Home

    RSS Feed


      HOME                        BLOG                       SPEAKING                        WRITING                        HOSPITALITY                        MEET SHERI  

CONTACT: 989.640.6673
Picture
EMAIL

FACEBOOK

Twitter

Content is the intellectual property of Sheri Wohlfert 2017
Created by dhengesbach
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Speaking
  • Writing
  • Hospitality
  • About Sheri