Living Above Ministries: Don't Miss it! It Will Bloom!

Typically I'm a morning person, but this morning, I must admit I'm struggling. Although the sound of my alarm @ 4:30am is always a bit harsh, once I get up, I love spending the first few hours of the day with my Bible & coffee and then getting in a workout before the family gets up. However, this morning, I've been up about an hour and I'm still wanting to go back to bed! But in the wee hours of Monday morning I still find hope and promise in what the new week may bring.

It reminds me of the flowers in my front yard. We've only lived in this house since December, so this is our first "Spring" here. There are flowers springing up in places that I would never have imagined! In fact, these flowers that I'm referring to began to push through a shrub. The closed petals seemed to just arrive one day. With Jordan's help we realized that there were probably going to be about 8 flowers - any day! Or you might say that we had the hope and quite possibly the promise that 8 flowers would indeed bloom. So we watched them daily. I took pictures every morning before school so we could mark our progress. This was a really fun activity for the kids. Each morning when we went outside to leave for school, we would check on our flowers. Before we knew it - all 8 flowers had indeed bloomed! I think if we weren't marking the daily progression of the flowers - we might have missed some if it's beauty along the way.

Last week I read of a similar story in Joshua. It's the story of when the children of Israel finally make it into the Promised Land. As I read it, I realized that I had almost missed it! We've been reading about the children of Israel and their journey to the land flowing with milk & honey since Exodus! Then, here in Joshua - 5 books later - we find that they finally make it. It was found in 3 small little verses and I almost missed it!

Joshua 21:43-45 (ESV)
Thus the Lord gave to Israel all the land He swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. And the Lord gave them rest on every side just as He had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the Lord had given all their enemies into their hands. Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.

Wow! Did you see that last verse? "Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass."

In these 3 small verses, tucked away very nice and neat in Joshua we see a HUGE promise fulfilled. In fact, just doing my daily reading I almost missed it! I'm so glad I didn't just skim right over it! This verse gives me hope that He will fulfill the promises that He's given me.

I learned so much from these 3 little verses. The main thing is that God's timing is not our own. God promised them a wonderful land and did in fact lead them to it. It did not happen within the time that they had all expected - but it did happen! The other thing that I love about this passage is where it says not one word of the Lord had failed. My God does not fail me! He even brought my 8 little flowers to bloom in my front yard, in a place that I did not expect. If He can lead a nation to a new home, bring my 8 little flowers to bloom, He can and will fulfill His promises to me. I only need to be willing to wait and watch for them to be fulfilled in unexpected ways and places.

I think if the kids and I had not been waiting and watching the flowers we would have missed a real treat. I almost missed the HUGE message found here in Joshua of completed promises! What promises are you waiting for God to fulfill in your life? Are you marking your progress while on the journey? Today, realize that God has a beautiful plan in store for you. He wants that beautiful flower to indeed bloom! Ask the Lord to give you the patience & endurance to make it to the end and in the mean time - rest in the fact that not one word of all of that He has promised will fail - it will come to pass. Look for it in unexpected places. Don't miss it! It will indeed bloom!

See God's promises fulfilled! They all bloomed!