Numbers 26: 62 And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel
63: These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazer the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho
Proverbs 10:4 He becomes poor that dealeth with a slack hand; but the hand of the diligent maketh rich
Proverbs 12:24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute
Proverbs 13: 4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat
Proverbs 22:29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men
Proverbs 27: 23, 24 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds, For riches are not for ever; and doth the crown endure to every generation?
John 6:12, 13 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, ‘Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted’ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten
There are certain parts of the Bible that are generally accepted as places to be skipped. The unspoken consensus is that they are too dry to be studied. These are the data driven records of the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and the genealogies in the books of Chronicles. But that temptation not to study them or to skip them is a debilitating temptation. Do not yield to it. For it will so deprive you of one of your deepest sources of wealth. The habit of being meticulous in keeping records, and the discipline of keeping track of every strand of your life. There is a good reason for the book of Numbers in the Bible.
God makes no bones about how deeply committed to records and data He is. The first set of genealogies is recorded in Genesis 5. Every one of the early people carrying the blood line of the kingdom is recorded, including how many years they lived. This pause to settle genealogies continues throughout the Bible. Even the New Testament is not spared the detailed naming of the people around the apostles who helped to establish the kingdom eg. Romans 16, Colossians 4:7-17.
The Bible also informs us that every hair on our hair is counted and the stars are named and counted. Every human being is fearfully and wonderfully made. Every day of your life was ordained and recorded before one of them came to be – Psalm 139:16. All your good works were planned by Him before you were even born – Ephesians 2:10.
God is meticulous and this principle should not be lost on His children. God honors diligence. So how are you monitoring your life? Are you setting goals, recording them and keeping track of your blessings? How you are spending your talents, thoughts and actions? Are you investing resources in compassion and love? Do you have a prayer journal?
May you be encouraged in your spiritual walk to pray, fast, do good works, give to the poor, and do all that pertains to life and godliness. Your labor of love is being recorded and will not be forgotten. Nothing you do or say is wasted in the economy of grace. There is a record of every grace utilized, and its harvest will certainly be established. Nothing will be wasted.
Prayer: Lord, please help me to be a person who cherishes discipline and diligence. Help me not to be careless about any aspect of my life, but be meticulous in all aspects and issues. Help me to learn to follow after you in applying precision to my life decisions and deliverables. Amen