The Shepherd We Trust

Numbers 11-15 

Friday, February 6, 2026 | Amber Harper

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” I memorized Psalm 23 at a very young age, and this passage came to mind as I read Numbers 11–15. The challenge, though, is applying those words to the doorposts of our hearts. I don’t know about you, but each day I am tempted to believe the lie that I deserve something more.

It is only the second year after the Israelites’ departure from Egypt, and we already see a clear pattern of grumbling and complaining. The people complain about their misfortunes (Numbers 11:1). They complain about food (Numbers 11:4). Miriam and Aaron complain about Moses (Numbers 12:1). After spying out the promised land, the people grumble again, wishing they had died in Egypt or the wilderness (Numbers 14:2).

What stood out to me was how Scripture describes Moses: “Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). The Hebrew word for meek means poor, afflicted, or humble. A meek person does not believe the lie of entitlement—the idea that we deserve comfort, recognition, reward, or ease. Entitlement reveals what we look to for satisfaction, and Moses’ heart was clearly positioned differently from the rest.

Another striking moment is that out of the twelve spies sent into Canaan, only two—Joshua and Caleb—fully trusted the Lord. The other ten spoke out of fear, and their words revealed what was happening in their hearts (Luke 6:45). They wanted to return to Egypt and even choose a new leader (Numbers 14:2–4). Ultimately, they did not trust the Lord as their shepherd or the leadership He had placed over them. Joshua and Caleb were among the few who trusted God fully, walking the narrow way that leads to life (Matthew 7:13–14).