Sometimes we just have to have faith that God will take care of us. No matter what it is you are going through today I am trusting that God chose this Revisit from 2005 for someone reading it today! Trust Him, look around and see who God put in the right place for you today! In His Word-11-28-05
Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you, and I know you by name." Exodus 33:15-18
Moses
my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all
this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of
Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I
given unto you, as I said unto Moses. Joshua
1:2-3
Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go this Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:6-9
Years ago, a singer by the name of “Amy Grant” sang a song called “We Don’t Know” or something like that. In it it tells the story of a ‘reckless car’ running out of gas before it ran my way. It talks about how sometimes what we see as a problem in our day, is actually a deterrent from something bad. Sometimes when we wait longer at a light than we should have it is not only to keep us from harm, but to help someone else.
If he had not chosen to turn a block
earlier than usual, and if he had turned anyway when the road was clear and the
light did not change the first time, the people in that car may have been later
than they wanted to be, may have been in any kind of troubled situations. We do
not know. But what we do know is that he was at the certain place at the
certain time and was able to be a help to them.
There was another time a while back when I had been coming home from shopping and my son said there was a sound coming from the car, I listened just as the air went completely out of the tire. We were on a road that was a mile from nowhere, about mile and a half from home, with no sidewalks. After climbing out of the car I was ready to send my teen aged son home to get his dad to come and help.
Now don’t laugh, I do know how to change a tire, but I did not know how to get it off the car. They have so many gadgets now days to attach the spare to the bottom of your car I had no clue how to release it. Somewhere in that tire was also the jack to jack up the car to be able to change said tire.
Across the street was a lady selling
roses. She asked if everything was okay, I mentioned that we had a flat.
She asked, “Do you want to use my cell phone to call for help?" . What a blessing that she was right there at the right time. I should add that she told me the week prior to this she had had two flat tires, so she was feeling sorry for me.She was in the right place at the right time. When I think of it, she is usually about a hundred yards in the other direction from where she was parked that day.
One more story, I promise, being in the right place and being obedient to the Lord is important! We had been over billed at our local
movie theater last month, and I had to go and talk to the manager or someone to
fix it. When I drove by two or three other times I felt it was not time to go
in. Each time something hindered me from parking the car and getting out and
going in the theater.
This weekend as I was driving by,
headed someplace else, I turned in at the first corner instead of waiting to
get to the store of my choice and turning there. I then thought of the over
charge and went in to correct it.
I took my receipt and went to talk to
someone. I didn’t even know whom to talk to! But just as I entered the
building, I was asked if I had a return ticket. That was odd, and there was an official
looking person on the phone, so I pointed to them. I needed to talk to someone in
charge. I showed my overcharge slip.
Just then the manager type person walked up
. In short, he offered to pay cash or to
give us free tickets for the whole family! My over charge was small, and I
could have let it go, but being obedient to correct an error I was blessed! Now
my whole family is going to attend Narnia when it comes out! For free! What a
blessing!
There are so many times, when we
have found ourselves in the right place at the right time…I believe that they
are God ordained times! I will call
those God-incidences!
Joshua was one of those who managed
to be in the right place at the right time. He listened to God’s instruction
and followed closely to Moses and what God told Moses to tell them. He adhered
his heart to what was right in the sight of God. In this following the Lord and knowing that
if God was with them that good would come from it, Joshua and Caleb were the
only ones left who went from Egypt to the Promised land! Joshua followed God’s
lead, no matter how silly it seemed.
Think
of how the Israelites looked marching around Jericho for all those days,
just marching, not waging war, just
marching. But they were doing what God had told them to do.
When
they were obedient to the Lord He blessed them and all the walls that hindered
them fell to the ground that they might have victory.
It was not easy to remain quiet walking around that terrain I am sure, we have a poster of the lands out there. Think about it, these are the impatient people who groaned and complained all the time’s children. I guess they learned by now how to follow God’s directions to a T!
I hope from this devotional today
you take a look around and think about what mishaps you have been through that
kept you from having a bigger one or brought you to a place of blessing. Think
as you drive around in the seasonal traffic this week of all the things you are
being kept from or blessed with by the slow-moving traffic.
So many times, we have been slowed at getting someplace only to find that it was because God was working His perfect timing.
The
Israelites had to wander for 40 years waiting for their promised land, a land
the oldest ones would never have received An entire generation had to pass away
before Joshua and Caleb could see the promise of God. Throughout Exodus and Joshua,
you can find many stories of how strong and courageous God told Joshua to be. I
think that when we go through rough days, trials, and tests that we need to
remember those words.
Be
strong and courageous… don’t turn to the left or the right because when you do
what the Lord God says to do then He will bless you and make you a success at
all that you put your hand to. But first you must be ready to do what He says,
no matter how silly it seems, or how frustrating it seems, I believe God orders
our steps and in that good will come from it. We need to trust in Him to direct
our paths and show us what to do in every situation. We need to know that when God is with us, no
one can stand against us! All He asks is that we follow His example, read His
Word to find out what that example is, and then just do it!
What
a blessed life we would have in all areas if we would just seek Him in all
things, follow after Him in all that we do, and listen and respond to His
voice…all the time.
Dear
Heavenly Father, thank you for those surprise blessings that we receive from
day to day. Thank you for helping us to be glad and rejoice in this day. In all
that we do let us do it as unto You! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Suggested
Readings: Deuteronomy 30:11-20, Psalm 5:1-12
Psalm 29:1-11,:
Isaiah 28:1-29,: Hebrews 4:1-16
Hebrews
12&13-all.
In
His love, Teresa M. Wilson
Copyright © 2005
by Teresa M. Wilson.