Moving Forward in Faith

And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also, and the LORD would not destroy thee.  And the LORD said unto me, Arise, take thy journey before the people, that they may go in and possess the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give unto them.  -Deuteronomy 10:10, 11 (KJV) 

I am acquainted with a young man who lives in another state, and throughout his childhood and teenage years he struggled with obesity.  As he approached the age of 30 his weight was over 300 pounds.  He knew the time had come to make dramatic changes, so with God’s help and the oversight of his doctor, he began a strict regimen of diet and exercise.  Over a period of time he lost well over 100 pounds, is in the best physical condition of his life, and competes in long-distance marathons.  His progress and accomplishments are truly remarkable.  All of this young man’s training, discipline, and hard work empowered him to move forward to achievements he might never have imagined possible. 

The Scripture shows us how Moses spent disciplined and concentrated periods of time alone with God in prayer and meditation on His Word.  This process gave Moses the spiritual power needed to lead the people toward their goal of entering into the Promised Land.  In order for Moses to be the kind of leader the Lord had called him to be he had to dedicate himself to a strict routine of prayer and communion with God.  Each time Moses was alone with God he was empowered to face the difficulties awaiting him when he went back to the people.  As followers of Christ we are spiritually “shooting ourselves in the foot” when we neglect the discipline of prayer and devotion to God.  We make time for a number of pursuits, yet this vital aspect of our lives is often overlooked.   

Just as my friend could not have run a marathon right at the beginning of his training, neither was Moses ready to lead the people into the Promised Land right off.  Instead, a time of training, spiritual discipline and dedication were needed so when the time came he would be ready.  No doubt you are facing at least a few hard issues in your life.  Trust in God, remain in His Word, devote yourself to prayer, and you will be ever moving toward spiritual maturity and personal growth.  Followers of Christ are called to be daily growing in faith so we will be able to stand during the trials which come our way. 

Be patient, be faithful, and seek to love the Lord more each day.  God is preparing you for spiritual victories which will surely come.  You will be astonished at the power of God in your life as you move forward in faith.