You may have never read this short story before about the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. It was unfamiliar to me as well; however there is something to be learned from the behaviors of these tribes.
Just before the children of Israel were about to enter into the Promised Land, the leaders of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh started looking around. They decided that where they were was good enough for them and their families. It was a great land for their cattle and they just really wanted to stay there. So they went to Moses to ask permission. Moses was angry and asked them, “Why should your brothers go to war while you stay here?” Reuben and Gad promised to go to war with their brothers, but as soon as the land was conquered they wanted to come back to the land they had chosen.
Reuben and Gad chose what they wanted over what God had chosen for them. They settled for less than God’s best and missed out on what God really had for them. Not only did their decision affect them, it also affected their families. Sometimes the decisions we make keep others from experiencing God’s blessings.
My Bible Study teaching leader said recently when discussing this story that “half-hearted obedience results in half-hearted blessings.” I don’t know about you, but I want God’s best. Where are you settling for less than God’s best? Let’s not live our lives at the edge of what God has for us. Let us be obedient to Him today and experience the fullness of His blessing.
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