DON'T DO THE DURIAN!

Deuteronomy 1:20-26
20 Then I said to you, "You have reached the hill country of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. 21 See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your fathers, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." 22 Then all of you came to me and said, "Let us send men ahead to spy out the land for us and bring back a report about the route we are to take and the towns we will come to." . . . 24 They left and went up into the hill country, and came to the Valley of Eshcol and explored it. 25 Taking with them some of the fruit of the land, they brought it down to us and reported, "It is a good land that the Lord our God is giving us." 26 But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God.

Prior to a recent trip to Asia, I was warned by a co-worker, "Don't do the durian!" No, this was not a local dance--durian is a fruit. A pungent-smelling fruit about the size of a football and covered with spikes.

When I was in Malaysia, I went to an open-air market where some of my buddies started to try different Asian fruits. Sure enough, durian was on the menu.

A man who owned the fruit stand cracked one open with a knife that looked like a meat cleaver. Soon, fresh durian was being offered to me. I found it to be stinky, slimy, and (surprisingly) not bad! I think I could have learned to acquire a taste for the unusual flavor if I had eaten more of it.

In the first chapter of Deuteronomy we read what Moses was recounting to the Israelites about some fruit. He was leading them down memory road to make a point: God provides, but we don't always obediently accept or honor His provision.

Moses recalled how his spies had found the good food (fruit) that God had promised His people: "Taking with them some of the fruit of the land, they brought it down to us and reported, 'It is a good land that the Lord our God is giving us'" (Deuteronomy 1:25).

The people did not accept God's provision, however. They rejected His "good fruit." They had listened to false reports and were filled with fear. They decided "not to do the durian."

What has God provided for you that you have rejected because of someone's negative comments? The Lord brings "good fruit" your way--ministry opportunities, new activities, and changes of direction.

If through prayer, study of His Word, and godly counsel, you determine that He has laid new "fruit" before you, go for it. He will give you all you need to accomplish His will. C'mon, do the durian! --Tom Felten

DESTINATION POINTS

* What "fruit" has God sent me that I am rejecting?
* How can I distinguish between God's good fruit and the bad fruit of my own making?

LINKS:
How Can I Know What God Wants Me To Do?
http://www.discoveryseries.org/q0704

bottom line: If God provides the fruit, it is good!

soul journey