The One Creating an Unbreakable Unity

Numbers is one of the books of the Bible I really struggle with. Recently when reading Numbers, there are two stories that really jump out at me. 1 is the story of the donkey talking - I mean that one is way up at the top of my favorite Bible teachings. Who doesn’t love to hear about a talking donkey!?!?

Second is the story the one I want to talk about today is the 5 daughters In Numbers 27. Don’t worry, we’ll come back around to that talking donkey another time. In chapter 27 of Numbers, we see the 5 daughters of Mr. Zelophehad (Mr. Z). Mr. Z had died leaving the 5 women with no father and no inheritance. They boldly approached Moses together. They pleaded their case to Moses and asked for justice. They said, “Why should the name of our father disappear from his clan just because he had no sons? Give us property along with the rest of our relatives.” (vs. 4) Moses was a good guy, did the right thing, and asked God about it. He sought out God’s answer to their request. He didn’t make a decision about it based on his own opinions, feelings, or past experiences - he sought after God and what God wanted for this very new situation he was faced with.

God answered and said they’re right - “The claim of the daughters of Mr. Z is legitimate. You must give them a grant of land along with their father’s relatives. Assign them the property that would have been given to their father.” (vs. 7) God went even further and changed the law. He said “And give the following instructions to the people of Israel: If a man dies and has no son, then give his inheritance to his daughters. And if he has no daughter either, transfer his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. But if his father has no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan. This is a legal requirement for the people of Israel, just as the Lord commanded Moses.” (vs. 8-11)

These 5 women joined together in unity, creating one faithful voice together. They honestly and plainly brought their case forward in faith. The land was supposed to have been divided among those who were numbered in the census and these 5 women were not numbered due to them not being "sons." They were not considered heirs in those times. Their father’s family would have had no inheritance and would essentially be omitted and no longer be known of. Their courageous unity ultimately changed laws. It brought forth the justice needed and granted them the inheritance they were seeking after. If we stick together and unite together with our faith anchored in God, we are unbreakable. Just like a bunch of sticks that are bound together. You can break one stick if it is left alone, but if you unite the sticks together, they become unbreakable. The enemy cannot break those who are united together in God.

I was super confused for longer than I care to admit about what God wanted me to do with my life while here on Earth. I eventually realized at some point not that terribly long ago through diving deeper into God’s Word, that we are all called to go together - in unity with each other and God - and spread the love and Word of God making disciples across the nations using the gifts and talents He has given us. God has given each of us different and unique talents for this exact purpose. The power of unity in women when we join together to encourage, uplift, and learn from each other as we continue to grow in God together is something that becomes unbreakable.

John 17:22-26 says "I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. Father I want these whom you have given me because you loved me even before the world began! O righteous Father, the world doesn't know you, but I do; and these disciples know you sent me. I have revealed you to them, and I will continue to do so. Then your love for me will be in them, and I will be in them."

Right before leaving Earth for Heaven, "Jesus came and told his disciples, 'I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20)

How do we disqualify ourselves from doing this exact thing Jesus called us to do with the gifts and talents He has given us? How do we talk ourselves out of doing anything God wants us to do right alongside the world around us trying to do that very thing? We shortchange ourselves. We start believing we "can't", "shouldn't", or "wouldn't". We have a tendency to listen to lies instead of God’s Word.

I know I spent so long "marinating" (as I like to call it) through life that I started to believe it was too late for me to really be used by God for anything - that I was getting too old. There's also that root of insecurity God is still working on in me so believing the lies that I'm not good enough has held me back. The funny thing there is the more I admit my insecurities, the more God is making my heart more and more secure in Him. Believing I needed permission from someone other than God to do what He is asking me to do has held me back. Believing I'm not perfect enough and too broken to truly be used by God has held me back. Distractions have also held me back - I’m very easily distracted if I don’t intentionally keep my focus where it needs to be. These are just a few of the things in life off the top of my head that have held me back. Does anyone else struggle with any of these things or any others? We need to keep rallying with each other and unite to break down these lies and encourage each other to move forward deeper with God.

The love Christ has for us is so huge that we cannot even fully comprehend it. “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” (Ephesians 3:19)

I love that verse. The love He has for us is sooooo huge, my tiny little brain cannot even really grasp the reality of it.

I can’t help but think of it like this: I know how much I love my children. I would die for either of them at any given second in life. I love them beyond measure. When they are suffering through anything, my heart breaks. When they are struggling with anything at all, my heart breaks. I often wish I could give them everything possible and help them through absolutely anything and everything that comes their way. I am still heartbroken and always and forever will be over the fact that I have let them down and made many many mistakes in life being the broken, imperfect human I am. The thought of my kids not knowing how much I love them or thinking I don’t care about them crushes me to my core. It breaks my heart in pieces. I am absolutely positive that’s how God feels too - but even MORE than this because the Word says I cannot comprehend His love for us. God says He loves us so much we cannot fully understand it. That is a whole lot of love.

It’s so easy to get sucked into other voices in life. We need to stand together. We need life - to - life ministry with each other to be strengthened to keep on going and be able to continue serving others around us. We need each other. We need to lift each other up instead of tearing each other down because we simply have differences of opinion or thought patterns. We need to rally around each other creating an unbreakable force to tear down the lies of the enemy. We need to stop the enemy at hell’s gates and shatter him. We need to stop caring more about our opinions than the people God placed around us in our lives. We need to love like Jesus and serve each other like He intended. That’s what will start changing the world around us. That’s what will make a difference in our communities and the lives of others in our communities. We are called to love like God loves. We are called to serve like Jesus served. We are called to spread God’s love and Word and make disciples across the nations. God wants to partner with us as we partner with each other to complete His plan. God never changes and His plan never changes. God redeems brokenness. God wants redemption. This is how we will stop fighting and arguing with each other and start striving and thriving together as one united unbreakable front - united by that very huge, incomprehensible heart of Jesus.