In Joshua 1, just before the children of Israel crossed over into the promised land, Joshua asked the officers to pass through the camp and tell the people to make preparation. They would move out within three days and in the meantime they needed to prepare for the journey ahead. As part of the preparation, the people sent spies ahead to see the layout of the land and to bring back a report to the people. We have to prepare ourselves ahead of what God has promised us. This requires faith to act in a manner which indicates that we believe what God has said. We act when we have received a word of promise concerning something that we are believing God for.
In Judges 13, an angel appeared to Manoah’s wife and told her that she would have a son called Samson. Manoah prayed for the Lord to ask the angel to come back to give them some more information to help them in preparing for the birth of their son. “She may not eat of anything that comes from the vine, neither let her drink wine or strong drink, or eat any unclean thing. All that I commanded her let her observe” (Judges 13:14). These were the additional instructions from the angel to Manoah and his wife. Although she did not yet see the physical manifestation of her pregnancy, she started to prepare herself for what God said that she could expect to come.
In due season, Manoah’s wife gave birth to a son and they named him Samson. She obeyed what the Lord said and her prophecy came to pass. There are many things that God has said to us that does not require us to act. There are other words of promise that requires us to make preparation. We have to act as though we believe what God has said and we know that it will come to pass. You may be single and God has promised you that he is providing you with a husband or a wife. God wants you to prepare yourself in anticipation for your marriage. God has promised you a promotion to a position of leadership and you need to start to develop a greater understanding of what leadership is.
God expects us to hear and hold fast to his promises. There are times when we are also required to make physical preparation for what God has promised. A season of preparation can feel like a delay to a promise. The delay will last as long as you are unprepared because God would rather allow you to wait than to give you something that you are not prepared for. Going into a marriage unprepared can lead to misery, separation or divorce. Acquiring a position without the character to sustain it can lead to failure and compromise. Get yourself ready so that you can progress with speed into the promise.
A.P.-Y.
Devotional Inspirations 