June #jammed: Under the Blanket of Grace.

Day 156: Grace waits.

“How long will you wait?” Joshua 18:3

A theme park lifer, I don’t like to wait in lines …because most of the time, I don’t have to. Living in close proximity, and armed with a season pass, earns me that privilege. But, every once in a while, there is a ride that is so good …the wait is unavoidable. No matter how much privilege I march through those gates with, I still have to wait like everyone else.

Today’s verse is plucked out of Joshua, as the Israelites are finally coming into the land God promised them.

“So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you?” Joshua 18:3

They’ve already waited a long time. Generations worth. At this point, land was distributed  specifically by God. Some tribes had to wait longer than others to realize the full scope of their inheritance. Joshua was a good leader, even in the waiting.  Do we lead in complaint, or  patience?

There’s a variety of reasons why it’s good to navigate common queues:

1. Humility. We’re not put on earth one better than the other, but some are born to more privilege. There will always be poor, and always those who will have to wait longer than others. That was true of the Israelite tribes awaiting their land, and it’s true for the plans purposed specifically for our lives.
2. Patience. In our “I have to have it now” society, it’s hysterical to watch someone argue about having to wait in line for the entire duration of what it would have taken to wait in line. Joshua dealt with similar squabbles over tribes that insisted on doing things there way, even though God …the God the led them there in the first place …specifically told them what to do. Their impatience and disobedience didn’t pay off, nor will ours.
3. The Payoff. The ride that always has a line will hardly ever disappoint. There’s a reason there’s a line to get in …and that’s because it’s awesome. It’s worth the wait. There are few things in life that are, but we often feel so entitled to everything that we have difficulty determining what’s worth waiting for. The Israelites fled from Egypt and wandered for 40 years! Despite their constant lack of faith, God gave them the land that He promised. For those that waited patiently in faith and obeyed despite their dysfunction, I image the payoff was unimaginable. A place to call home.

How long will we wait to drop our agendas for His? Through His Word, we discover who we always meant to be.

Father, Praise You for long lines, and what they reveal about where we are at spiritually. Thank You for Your perfect timing, and allowing us to follow Your Son’s steps to You. Forgive us for flipping out when things don’t happen in our time, and bless us with patience and endurance to go where You call us to go. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Get the conversation started by commenting below, and let’s encourage one another as we face life in 2017 armed with grace! 

#greatgrace17

Happy Waiting,

Megs

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