Speaker 1: Welcome to Abides Sleep Meditations. I'm Tyler Boss. Today's meditation
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Speaker 3: and body as we hear tonight's sleep story.
Speaker 2: Hello and welcome to the sleep story from Abide. I'm Chloe.
Speaker 2: Thank you for joining me for our story Milk and Honey.
Speaker 2: As you settle under your covers, let my voice guide
Speaker 2: you through a story sit between rolling hells and surround
Speaker 2: it by lush greenery in the small village of Hebron.
Speaker 2: It takes place in the days of the Old Testament,
Speaker 2: a time of great trials and divine promises. As you
Speaker 2: settle down to sleep, we will journey back to a
Speaker 2: pivotal moment in the history of the Israelites, a moment
Speaker 2: of faith, trust, and divine assurance. Inspired by numbers fourteen
Speaker 2: verse eight, which reads, if the Lord delights in us,
Speaker 2: he will bring us into this land and give it
Speaker 2: to us, a land that flows with milk and honey.
Speaker 2: This sleep story will soothe your spirit and guide you
Speaker 2: into a peaceful slumber, reminding you of God's unwavering love
Speaker 2: and unfaltering promises. Let the delight of the Lord permeate
Speaker 2: your being with his extravagant love and affection. He is
Speaker 2: so proud of you. No matter what you think you've
Speaker 2: done wrong this day, or this week or in your lifetime,
Speaker 2: His love washes over you and covers you in forgiveness.
Speaker 2: His promises of goodness and grace are not dependent on
Speaker 2: your good behavior. As we will hear, his favor is
Speaker 2: sure and certain. Even when his children falter in their
Speaker 2: belief in him, He is faithful when we are faithless.
Speaker 2: Numbers twenty three, Verse nineteen tells us God is not
Speaker 2: man that he should lie, or a son of man
Speaker 2: that he should change his mind? Has he said and
Speaker 2: will he not do it? Or has he spoken and
Speaker 2: will he not fulfill it? So, precious one, as I
Speaker 2: lead you through this story, may your heavenly Father lead
Speaker 2: you into his land of promise, a place flowing with
Speaker 2: milk and honey. Join me as we step back in
Speaker 2: time a few thousand years, in the time of numbers fourteen.
Speaker 2: If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us
Speaker 2: into this land and give it to us, a land
Speaker 2: that flows with milk and honey. When we come upon
Speaker 2: the Israelites, they have been on a long and arduous
Speaker 2: journey from the moment they were freed from the bondage
Speaker 2: of Egypt. They had traversed the vast and unforgiving wilderness.
Speaker 2: Led by Moses. They witnessed miraculous events, the great parting
Speaker 2: of the sea, manner falling from heaven, and water flowing
Speaker 2: from a rock. Yet the promised land, a land flowing
Speaker 2: with milk and honey, remained just a vision on the horizon.
Speaker 2: One cool evening, the Israelites set up camp at Kadesh Bania,
Speaker 2: a place of decision and destiny situated on the southern
Speaker 2: border of Canaan. The air was cool and crisp, The
Speaker 2: stars shone brightly, and a gentle breeze rustled through the trees.
Speaker 2: The people gathered around their fires, sharing stories of their
Speaker 2: journey and dreams of the land that awaited them, the
Speaker 2: land that the Lord, their God had promised them and
Speaker 2: their ancestors for generations. Moses, the great leader and humble
Speaker 2: servant of the Lord, sat with his brother Aaron and Joshua,
Speaker 2: a young but brave warrior. These three honorable men discussed
Speaker 2: the Lord's promises and the faith required to reach their destination.
Speaker 2: Joshua's eyes gleamed with hope and determination as he recalled
Speaker 2: the words of God. To prepare for their entry into
Speaker 2: the promised land, Moses selected twelve men, one from each tribe,
Speaker 2: to spy on the land of Canaan. Among them were
Speaker 2: Caleb from the tribe of Judah, and Joshua from the
Speaker 2: tribe of Ephram. These men were hand picked for their wisdom, courage,
Speaker 2: and faithfulness. For forty days, the spies journeyed through Canaan,
Speaker 2: observing its beauty and abundance. They saw vineyards laiden with grain, apes,
Speaker 2: fields of golden grain, and hillsides dotted with olive trees.
Speaker 2: They enjoyed first hand the visceral experience that the land
Speaker 2: was indeed flowing with milk and honey, just as the
Speaker 2: Lord had promised. Upon their return, the spies gathered the
Speaker 2: people of Israel to share their findings. They brought back
Speaker 2: a cluster of ripe grapes, so large that it had
Speaker 2: to be carried on a pole between two men. The
Speaker 2: people marveled at the bounty. They goggled wide eyed at
Speaker 2: these grapes the size of apples, Their hearts filled with anticipation.
Speaker 2: Only God could possibly bring such wild abundance, and he
Speaker 2: was beckoning his children into this land. But ten of
Speaker 2: the twelve spies gave a discouraging report. They spoke of
Speaker 2: the formidable inhabitants of the land, giants, warriors, and fortified cities.
Speaker 2: Fear spread like wildfire among the Israelites, and murmurs of
Speaker 2: doubt and despair filled the camp. They started to doubt
Speaker 2: God's goodness and power. Why would God call us all
Speaker 2: the way here, through this arduous and perilous journey for
Speaker 2: us to die on the edge of this land? Does
Speaker 2: He have the power to give us a victory over
Speaker 2: such fearsome enemies. In the midst of the fear and uncertainty,
Speaker 2: Caleb and Joshua stood up to speak. Their voices were
Speaker 2: calm but resolute. The land we passed through is exceedingly good,
Speaker 2: Caleb began, If the Lord delights in us, he will
Speaker 2: bring us into this land and give it to us,
Speaker 2: a land that flows with milk and honey. Do not
Speaker 2: rebel against the Lord, and do not be afraid of
Speaker 2: the people of the land, for they are bred for us.
Speaker 2: Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is
Speaker 2: with us. Do not fear them. Joshua vigorously nodded his
Speaker 2: head in agreement, his eyes fixed on the people with
Speaker 2: unwavering faith. Remember the Lord's promises and the miracles he
Speaker 2: has performed. Trust in his word and his plan for us.
Speaker 2: He will never fail us. He will never break a
Speaker 2: promise to us. The words of Caleb and Joshua resonated
Speaker 2: deeply with many, but fears still grip the hearts of
Speaker 2: the majority. Some even began to talk of returning to Egypt,
Speaker 2: preferring the known hardships of slavery to the unknown challenges
Speaker 2: of the promised land. Moses, Aaron, Caleb, and Joshua fell
Speaker 2: on their faces before the assembly, praying for the people's
Speaker 2: faith to be strengthened. The Lord's presence was palpable, a
Speaker 2: comforssing assurance amidst the turmoil. Perhaps you can sense that
Speaker 2: very same palpable presence of God He has strengthening your
Speaker 2: faith too, giving you comforting assurance. Whatever giants you are facing,
Speaker 2: whatever challenge is tempting you to waver in your faith
Speaker 2: towards God. Let his Holy Spirit bring peace, perfect peace,
Speaker 2: other worldly peace that will dramatically quiet all gnawing fears.
Speaker 2: So precious one feel all in a turmoil, dissipating in
Speaker 2: the presence of God. Loving Lord Jesus, Thank you for
Speaker 2: your incredible peace that you are showering on your beloved child.
Speaker 2: Now you know that the challenges they face are real.
Speaker 2: It's true that life is hard, and there are many
Speaker 2: and varied problems that arise every day. But you are greater. Lord,
Speaker 2: You are far far greater than all other giants, all
Speaker 2: other enemies, and all other obstacles that we might face.
Speaker 2: Strengthen your child to turn their face like flint and
Speaker 2: walk into their promised land, so they can claim the
Speaker 2: grapes the size of apples, and drink of the rivers
Speaker 2: of nourishing milk and taste the sweet waterfalls of honey. Yes,
Speaker 2: there are enemies to conquer, but you will do the
Speaker 2: fighting for us. We need only be still, So Father God,
Speaker 2: let this child be still and watch you do the
Speaker 2: fighting for them. May they rise up, encourage, and march
Speaker 2: into their promised land. But stand aside as you wipe
Speaker 2: out the problems before them, like a broom coming to
Speaker 2: sweep it all away. Sweep away the obstacles, sweep away
Speaker 2: all the depression, clear away all anxiety, wipe away all
Speaker 2: fatigue and weariness of heart. Lord, I pray of your
Speaker 2: child and the words of Caleb. Do not rebel against
Speaker 2: the Lord, and do not be afraid of the people
Speaker 2: of the land, for they are bred for us. There
Speaker 2: protect is removed from them, and the Lord is with us.
Speaker 2: Do not fear them. Beloved Lord, we are so grateful
Speaker 2: that you have carried us through every challenge of our
Speaker 2: lives to get to this moment when we can experience
Speaker 2: your nurturing rest and your sweet presence. Your promises are
Speaker 2: better than milk and sweeter than honey. We long for
Speaker 2: more of you, Lord. May you overcome the giants in
Speaker 2: our land and cover us with your protection. We bless
Speaker 2: your holy name, Jesus be with this precious child and
Speaker 2: your mighty name Jesus. Amen. I pray, precious child of God.
Speaker 2: This story will serve as a gentle reminder of God's
Speaker 2: promises and the importance of faith that it will resonate
Speaker 2: with you as you sleep and continue when you wake.
Speaker 2: May you find rest and assurance in the divine presence
Speaker 2: of His Holy Spirit. The land you will pass through
Speaker 2: is exceedingly good. If the Lord delights in you, he
Speaker 2: will bring you into this land and give it to you,
Speaker 2: a land that flows with milk and honey
Speaker 1: In