18. How do we see the promises of God fulfilled in our lives? We're sitting on the answer. Here it is...

Joshua, Chapter 18: The Calling

"How long are you going to sit around on your hands, putting off taking possession of the land that God, the God of your ancestors has given you?"

​That section of Scripture in Joshua, Chapter 18 is powerful.

It hits me right in the heart. It humbles me. It reminds me. It implores me.

And most transparently, it calls to me.

I think about times where I have "sat on my hands" when I should have been standing to my feet. And then I look at the back half of that phrase...

"...the land that God...has given you."

Do you see it?

We complain, whine, and refuse to move. And to be honest, we don't even have an excuse that makes sense. We've been told that it will all work out in the end, but somehow we've managed to miss that point, and stall out.

​If Chapter 17 was about A CLEARING, Chapter 18 is about OUR CALLING.

​And one word comes into play that we must embrace in order to live in it.

WORK.

Our calling isn't an uber service. It's not a fast food drive-through.

We want to be dropped off at our destination, and have something handed to us along the way. But how do we intend to pay for it, if we haven't worked for it? 

Our calling is W-O-R-K.

Too often we want to see a completely clear picture before we take the first step.

​In Joshua 18 we see the incredible detail involved for them to receive their promise.

​They had to survey the land. And they weren't doing it in a brand new Chevy Tahoe. They were on foot. They walked to the point of exhaustion. They were very likely tired, sore, and in need of rest. Then...once they had the coordinates, they needed to put it to paper. They had to build a presentation for Joshua. And with their surveying behind them, and work in their hands, they made their way back to camp to wait on the word from Joshua.

It's going to take an intentional commitment to a process for our progress.

​It's also going to take obedience in the face of convenience.

When a short-cut looks more attractive, we'll need to be extra attentive.

Details matter.

Every number. Every line. Every word.

How does that story translate into our world today?

​Far too often we take an "I'll know it when I see it" approach to life.

What does that mean?

​We wait for things to be dropped in our lap, when what we need to be doing is moving, mapping, and presenting. We need to be rolling up our sleeves and working for what comes next if we want to see the process reveal our blessing.

(*45) Sitting on our hands prevents us from taking possession of God's promises.

We sit around like pros. Sometimes we even call it prayer. Sorry if that's uncomfortable, but I think it's true. Now, there's nothing wrong with being still. Nothing wrong with quiet moments in prayer. It's when still and quiet become our permanent posture that we begin to get ourselves into trouble.

​When we have been called to move, we need to learn the discipline of praying on the way. Prayer, fasting, and obedience move together. They are three strands that braid a source of strength directly from the Lord that we can hang onto.

How do we see the promises of God fulfilled in our lives?

​We're sitting on the answer.
​
We need to grab the rope, and pull ourselves up off our hands.

It's time to get to work.

PERSPECTIVE POINTS:

(*45) Sitting on our hands prevents us from taking possession of God's promises.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

Who can you reach out to that will be an accountability partner in this with you?
​What are you being called to do that convenience is distracting you from?
What short-cuts are getting your attention that have become a distraction?

A CLEARING: It's about preparation.

​A CALLING: It's about work.

Next?

A COVERING: The Blessing.

​That's coming in Chapter 19.