Worth The Wait

"But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals would multiply and threaten you. I will drive them out a little at a time until your population has increased enough to take possession of the land." Exodus 23:29-30

This revelation of God's schedule falls in the middle of chapters of instruction from the Lord. Here He reveals the purpose of the process. Reading it makes such perfect sense. If the Israelites had their way of quickly acquiring the land, they would encounter other hardships that they didn't foresee, but God did. In mercy He is slowing down the possession of property and in love He is providing the plan.

The Israelites had the blessing of knowing God's objective for the apparent delay. If we only knew ahead of time the reasons why some journeys seem to take so long. In kindness and compassion God is sparing us from events and situations that our impulsive rush, if not for God's staying hand, would bring further complications. Knowing God can do anything anytime, when His path walks us little by little we can get discouraged. Why isn't He answering? Oh, but He is. God knows that a quick clearing of our "land" is not best for the land or for His children.

God wanted to see an "increase" before the final victory. He wanted His people to grow. Yes, numerical growth, but the wait would, Lord willing, bring character growth also as the Israelites believe His word and put their trust in Him. This personal increase happens little by little too. As Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:18, we are being transformed into Christ's image from one degree of glory to the next. It's continual and ever-increasing, but it is most often step by step.

What appears to be the slow work of God is a grace. Maturity in the Christian life comes gradually and skipping stages will bring desolation and threats that we are not yet prepared to handle. There are spiritual benefits that only come through waits. Have faith. Without any hurry, God is preparing to do something better than we can imagine. He will be worth the wait, and so will the eventual outcome.