Deuteronomy 1:8 “See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that the LORD swore he would give to your fathers–to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob–and to their descendants after them.”

Sometimes God’s gifts seem a long time coming. It had been hundreds of years since Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had each in turn been promised the land of Canaan, but now the time had arrived for that promise to be fulfilled. However, even at this point the Israelites had to go and take possession themselves. In one sense it was being handed to them on a silver platter, but it probably didn’t seem like that to them at all. They had to fight for it! God could give us every­thing instantly, but as has been said repeatedly, He’s more interested in our growth than in our comfort. God created us to spend eternity with Him, and He doesn’t want to spend it with a bunch of brats! Also, sometimes there are things He gives us in the process that we later realize were more valuable than what we thought was the goal. The hard part for us is remembering that we don’t see things from God’s perspective, and choosing to trust Him even when it seems like things are a long time coming. It seems like patience is one of the vanishing virtues, with everyone wanting everything instantly, but patiently, expectantly waiting on God is richly blessed, as the Bible tells us again and again.

I’ve experienced some of this just recently, with computer problems causing me to make first contact with someone who has the potential of becoming a good, long-term friend. The solution to the computer problem seems to have nothing to do with him directly, but God wanted to make that connection, so he allowed the problem in the first place. I’ve experienced this sort of thing many times, but I still get tied in knots with anxiety and frustration over things. God wants me to learn the trust that He has me preaching to others! God has made some remarkable promises to me personally over the years, and it looks like we might be approaching His timing for their fulfillment. That is exciting indeed, but I need to remember that whether the time is short or long, that doesn’t change His faithfulness. As He told me almost a year ago, I need to rest, relax, and rejoice, trusting Him enough to wait when He says wait and move when He says move. If I will do that, He will do far more than I could ask or even imagine.

Father, thank You for this Word, particularly as a followup to what You said yesterday morning. Thank You for knowing far better than I ever could what is best, for me, for this church, for this city and this nation. Help me be active in my obedience to You without thinking that I’m accomplishing anything on my own. Keep me especially from the pressure of thinking I’ve got to bring Your kingdom to earth, as though I could do it in the first place. Help me pray, trust, and obey, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!