Tag: Promise

God Prepares Your Way

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But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land. (Exodus 23:29-30)

          God’s prepares you to accomplish what He destined you for from the beginning of time. Many times, you pray for God’s provision and His provision first comes as preparation for His bigger purpose. That’s why many times our lives seem to become more difficult after prayer. We were expecting a divine miracle to bring us relief when instead God groomed our character to walk in His upcoming revelation. God is more interested in our character than our pleasure. That may sound unpleasant to someone who is always seeking instant gratification, but you should consider what kind of joy and peace come from a character refined by God. How much more will you be able to succeed in His provision and plan for your life when you have submitted to His preparation?
          The scripture above shows God’s purpose in preparation. He could have driven out all of the enemies of the Israelites as they entered the promised land but that would have left them fighting into the dangers of the wilderness. Instead He allowed the enemies to keep the land farmed and provision gathered so that His people would be taken care of as they conquered each group of enemies in turn. At the same time, He was allowing His chosen people to increase so there would be enough to inhabit the land. God let His people grow in strength, number and relationship with Him before they were spread out over the land He had promised. Spreading His people too thin, too weak, and not focused on Him would have left them vulnerable to the things that try to destroy God’s plans.
          Know that God has a plan much bigger than what you can see. His ways are higher than our ways. Rely not on your own understanding of a situation but on your understanding of the God you serve. Submit to His refining, like the refining of gold. Let God increase your strength and value for His name sake, for His kingdom purpose. Be clay that is pliable in the potter’s hand and know that the joy found in the purpose God designed you for is worth the difficult season. Know that the God that sees all things from beginning to end has your best in mind as He grooms you for a purpose beyond your wildest dreams.

God’s Promises, God’s Timing

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                Part of our Christian walk is to look to The Father for guidance and to let Him light our path. God’s plan for our life will always be better than our own. In moments of quiet God will give you direction. He will place a promise on your heart so that you can see the outcome of His provision. The difficulty at that point is handing that promise back to Him so that He can develop it in His timing. We have a tendency to strive under our own strength to accomplish His will. We do it with the best of intentions, we want to serve the Father. Our direction shows obedience but our timing doesn’t. We end up settling for a lesser version of what God desires for us. We stop growing toward the completeness we are called to in Him. We then have a choice to live a lesser life or to let go of that partial provision so that we might see His full glory.

                Now we are forced to deal with the pain of loss, or the anticipation of waiting on His timing. It’s God’s desire to groom you during the waiting process so that you can fully receive what He has for you. God’s ultimate desire is to mold you into His likeness. We have to be ok with whatever that process looks like. Knowing that waiting is a God ordained process gives us a reason to rejoice. If you know God made you a promise, it belongs to you. Nothing you or anybody else does can take away His provision. Worship God for speaking into you and being the light of your path. Take the time to enjoy the walk with Him that culminates in fulfilling the promises He gives to you.

Our Journey in the Wilderness (3)

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Promised Land –> God’s Presence

The first inclination is to think of The Promised Land as a metaphor for Heaven. I think that would be an acceptable conclusion, but there is more there. The Promised Land refers to the Presence of God, which includes Heaven but also His presence in a believer’s life which begins here on earth. Your walk in God’s kingdom begins here as you serve Him, guided by His light. Far too many people look past the time on earth and consider God a source of salvation through Jesus. While that is true they fail to honor His presence in their lives and wander from His desire for them. They choose to live in the wilderness with God’s grace and Mercy as provision instead allowing faith/trust to bring them into His presence/Promised Land.

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