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SLOW BEFORE YOU
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As evidenced, the idea of moving slowly and progressively has taken me by storm recently. It's not only come as encouragement for the season I'm in, and have been in, but also comes as preparation for seasons to come. The previous two posts have come as practical analysis and things that I've learned along the way. Here, however is a Biblical context.
In the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy, God speaks to Moses and says that as Israel is going to enter the Land of Promise (Canaan), God is going to drive the people out before them. God has many methods by which He is going to do so, but He also tells Moses that this is going to take a while.
Exodus 23:29–30 (ESV)
29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land.
The same is confirmed later.
Deuteronomy 7:22 (ESV)
22 The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little. You may not make an end of them at once, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you.
God's reasoning for moving slow was for the good of the nation. God's reasoning for going slow was to benefit everyone. God had a reason for going slow. But name the last time that was ever a good reason for you?
We live in a world that is consumed with fast. Everything is becoming more instantaneous. I've shared this multiple times before (of which some of you have heard it), but there are certain McDonald's that you pull up to that state if you are not pulling out of the drive-thru in 2 minutes following your order that you will be compensated for that. You can now have a meal prepared for you in 2 minutes. Phones are instantaneous. The internet is becoming more instantaneous. TV is instantaneous. Our life is becoming progressively more instant. And yet, God still carries this part about His character that does not move that (and not because He's not able to).
As I look ahead, I can see why God wants to go slow. In the midst of it, I can't help but get fidgety. As we look to build for life, I can see how that journey is a lot longer that a couple of months. In the midst of it, I wonder why it feels like we're battling inertia.
I don't know where you sit or what is happening in your life. I don't know what is going on or what you feel about God. If you're in a season where things seem slow, where it feels like nothing is happening, where inertia is staring you in the face and sometimes it feels like it's winning, brace yourself. It could be that God is driving out things before you. Build for life. Build slow.
In the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy, God speaks to Moses and says that as Israel is going to enter the Land of Promise (Canaan), God is going to drive the people out before them. God has many methods by which He is going to do so, but He also tells Moses that this is going to take a while.
Exodus 23:29–30 (ESV)
29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land.
The same is confirmed later.
Deuteronomy 7:22 (ESV)
22 The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little. You may not make an end of them at once, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you.
God's reasoning for moving slow was for the good of the nation. God's reasoning for going slow was to benefit everyone. God had a reason for going slow. But name the last time that was ever a good reason for you?
We live in a world that is consumed with fast. Everything is becoming more instantaneous. I've shared this multiple times before (of which some of you have heard it), but there are certain McDonald's that you pull up to that state if you are not pulling out of the drive-thru in 2 minutes following your order that you will be compensated for that. You can now have a meal prepared for you in 2 minutes. Phones are instantaneous. The internet is becoming more instantaneous. TV is instantaneous. Our life is becoming progressively more instant. And yet, God still carries this part about His character that does not move that (and not because He's not able to).
As I look ahead, I can see why God wants to go slow. In the midst of it, I can't help but get fidgety. As we look to build for life, I can see how that journey is a lot longer that a couple of months. In the midst of it, I wonder why it feels like we're battling inertia.
I don't know where you sit or what is happening in your life. I don't know what is going on or what you feel about God. If you're in a season where things seem slow, where it feels like nothing is happening, where inertia is staring you in the face and sometimes it feels like it's winning, brace yourself. It could be that God is driving out things before you. Build for life. Build slow.
