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
A wife was surprised one day to see her
husband lounging on the couch and said, “I thought you were going out to mow
the lawn?”
He replied, “I was, but I’m waiting
for a part.”
“What part is that?”
“The part of me that wants to get off
the couch and go do it,” he said.
We laugh, but there are consequences
for waiting too long (apart from frustrating your wife). Where we live, if I
put off mowing the lawn on a sunny day, there’s no guarantee it will be out
tomorrow. If I don’t get busy while the sun shines I may miss my chance for
another week or so while rain saturates our lawn. When the sun comes out again,
the lawn is five inches taller and heavy with moisture.
The consequences for the Israelites waiting
too long were much more serious. They got comfortable living at the edge of
God’s Promised Land and lost the momentum they needed to actually go in. The land
was theirs; they’d come all the way from Egypt to claim it. But that would take
effort, so instead they settled “on the couch” waiting for a part—the part of
them that wanted to fight for it.
This can apply to us in so many ways.
If we want a better marriage, we’re going to have to get off our rear end and start
working on it. If we want a closer relationship with our kids, we have to set
aside the newspaper, our cell phone or computer, or turn off the football game,
so we can ride bikes, play board games, or go hiking with our kids. You can’t build
intimacy without regular doses of focused attention.
What has God promised, but you don’t possess, because you haven’t made the effort to claim it? God
calls us to do our part. After all, no one buys a present, gives it to the intended
recipient, and unwraps it for him too!
God’s already paid for our gift—giving
us life and knowledge and strength—enough to claim the prize. It’s time to unwrap
His presents and rejoice in His generosity. And go see what blessings this land
holds for us and our families.
So how long are you going to wait for your
“part” to come in? It’s time to make a plan and carry it out. Get up off the couch
and walk the land. Fight for it. In the name of Jesus, go to battle with
the enemy of your soul who seeks to lull us into apathy. And claim the promises that are yours for the taking.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil
with good.
Romans 12:21
#couchpotatoChristian #waitingforpromises #claimingterritory
#Joshua18
Posts
This topic is near and dear to my heart. We truly do neglect to open our wonderful gifts from the Lord, gifts He's already given us! Love your analogies and the encouragement to get off the couch.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kathleen! I actually thought about your book, The Neglected Journey, as I was writing this post. You present so many good thoughts along those lines! It has challenged me too.
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