Last week I saw a bill board for the latest action movie. It was headlined ‘Big meets Bigger’.
We appear to live in a world where success is measured by getting bigger and bigger or smaller and smaller and faster and faster.
God is not like that. He is a ‘little by little’ God.
Let me explain.
In Exodus we read how the Israelites travelled out of Egypt to be freed from slavery and bondage. How they crossed the Red Sea and witnessed the amazing power of God in parting the waters.
We learn when they reached the desert they grumbled because they were thirsty. At the waters of Marah they could not drink the water because it was bitter.
So Moses cried out to the Lord and the Lord showed Moses a piece of wood. He threw it into the water and the water became sweet and they drank.
A few days later they complained about a lack of food. God rained down bread from heaven and quail and they had more food than they needed.
At the foot of Mount Sinai Moses came down from the mountain with the Ten Commandments. God was establishing the rules they were to live by.
In Exodus 23: 20-30 God is making a promise his Angel’s will prepare the way to the promised land. God will drive out the Hivites, Cananites and Hittites out of their way provided they obey his angel.
And in Exodus 23:30 God says:
“Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.”
Forty years later
We fast forward 40 years. The Israelites still have not entered the promised land.
They have been wandering in the desert, for in their grumbling they have been disobedient to God.
They did not listen to his word and they have made and worshipped false idols. Because of disbelief and disobedience the Lord has decided that most of the old generation will not enter the promised land.
Now a new generation plus Joshua and Caleb are being prepared to cross the Jordan river.
And God is teaching them all the rules again before they can enter the promised land.
I don’t know what sort of person you’re but I like to stick to a time frame.
If I was God and been waiting for my people for 40 years to enter the promised land, I would want to speed things up.
And what does God say?
We turn to Deuteronomy 7: verses 17 – 22
“Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.”
God goes back to what he said in Exodus 23:30.
You see we worship a God who is not in any hurry. God is more concerned about getting the process right - than speed.
And God did not seem to have a fixed date by which they all had to be settled into the promised land. It was more about what type of people they would be when they moved there.
He wanted a people who were obedient to him.
He wanted a people who trusted in him.
And he wanted a people who he could bless along the way.
This also reveals another truth about God’s character.
Not only do we worship an almighty powerful God.
But we also worship a patient and gentle God.
I mean if it was me I would be wanting to bulldoze my way through the land and hire a few Egyptian soldiers to speed things up.
But not our God.
He does it His way - in His time, little by little.
Wayne worked in the media for more than 30 years before leaving to follow a call to set up The Daily Encourager, a values based media showcasing the best of New Zealand society. He has a passion for Jesus, enjoys walking, ball sports, the arts and song writing.
Wayne Graham worked in the media for more than 30 years before leaving to follow a call to set up The Daily Encourager, a values based media showcasing the best of New Zealand society. He has a passion for Jesus, enjoys walking, ball sports, the arts and song writing.