I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Numbers 14-15.

    Having heard the reports of the ten spies who reported that the people in the land of Canaan were too powerful for them the people of Israel were also afraid to go into the land. Instead they began plotting to select someone to lead them back to Egypt. They lacked the faith to trust God to overcome the obstacles in front of them, despite the many miraculous things which God had done for them, starting with the Plagues in Egypt. So God (through Moses) told them, “Fine, you do not want to go into the Land, I will lead you through the wilderness for 40 years and then lead your children to the Land after you have all died.” It was only after this that the people decided they were willing to go into the Land. However, by then God was no longer leading them and things went badly.
    There is an important lesson for us here. Sometimes the things which God guides us to do have an expiration date. If we do not take advantage of those opportunities when God first directs us to take them, He withdraws them. This is true of missions to which He calls us and of opportunities for advancement. If we refuse to take advantage of the opportunities when He offers them to us, they may not be there any longer when we change our minds.