Hosanna Restoration Church

God promised Israel the Promised Land and a place of rest. They actually entered the Promised Land but not the rest because they just could not get trusting God, down pat. It is through Christ that we have the promises of God; so where are we.

I was praying and praising God with a song that was actually my salvation prayer so many wonderful years ago. The chorus said, “Take me, take me and mold me. Lord won’t you hold me. Show me the way. Take me. Take my hand. Lead me to the Promised Land. Oh Lord, show me the way.” At that point it occurred to me that I am in the Promised Land. I am in the Kingdom of God. At that same moment I had a mental picture of crowded beaches and a flood of thoughts to go with it.

I thought of all the people who come to salvation only to stand on the shore; people who come out of waters of baptism only to wander around on the beaches. I thought of people who begin to try and move through the crowd only to be stalled by someone who has been on the beach for a long time a little uncomfortable with someone who suggests that they want to move on.

At the same time I thought of those who pressed their way forward determined to get beyond the beach to see what was really in the Promised Land. It reminded me of a time when I was in Russia and arrived at a meeting where people were lined up to get in and a man began to push the crowd open so we could get in. He was using the closest word that they had to “excuse me” while pushing those who did not move out of the way and motioning me to keep coming. It was more like, “Move or get run over.”

Hebrews chapter 3 ends with telling us that Israel never really got where God wanted them to be, because of their unbelief. It stands to reason then that if we are not where God has promised we could be, we alone are responsible. It may be that we have moved to a certain place and made our own beach to wander around on.

It was people like Joshua and Caleb who desired more of God that never gave up. From the beginning, I have felt challenged to find “the more” of God. Believe me I have spent some time on the beach, but have never really been a fan or comfortable there for long. It is true that only God can satisfy, and the more we seek Him the more the Promised Land manifests around us and the Kingdom of God is added to us.

Ask yourself if you are stalled on the beach or if you are pushing deeper into the Promised Land. There is so much more! Always, so much more.