Thursday, September 14 – Joshua 5:10-12

While the sons of Israel camped at Gilgal they celebrated the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month on the desert plains of Jericho. Then on the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and roasted grain. And the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year.

Have you ever watched a tree grow over time? From one day to the next, the tree may not look very different at all, but over months and years you can see the slow transformation of the tree and eventually, you see the blooms. Some fruit trees take years before they yield their first crop. We often want the result of a healthy spiritual life without the years it takes to build this kind of life. The Israelites had been waiting a long time to be in the land of milk and honey. They longed for the day they would have more to eat than manna. After years of wrestling to trust God, and finally submitting to Him and His plan, they saw the fruit of the land.

We often want fast results when it comes to growing in our faith. We ask God to bring about quick changes that will last a long time. However, as we see throughout Scripture, God’s work is often a long process. This was Habakkuk’s encouragement from the Lord in a time of waiting, Habakkuk 2:3 says, “For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hurries toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it delays, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay long.” It often takes time to see the changes the Lord makes in our lives and the lives of others. However, even in the waiting, there is the hope of promised fruit. The work of the Lord is never in vain. He slowly molds our hearts to His and draws us to Himself. The fruit of the heart work that He is doing in us and others will come about when we are faithful to follow Him.

• When have you had to wait to see the fruit of God’s work in your life?
• Why do you think waiting faithfully is so difficult for us?
• Pray and ask God to help you cling to His promises as you wait.