I’ve been reading Joshua this week – stories that many of us are familiar with. Rahab helping the spies escape, the walls of Jericho falling down. I love the drama and the tangible victories, especially when in my life progress feels much harder to see.

But today I focused on a very heartbreaking story. God told the Israelites to destroy everything from Jericho, but Achan admitted he, “saw a beautiful robe…silver coins, and a bar of gold…I wanted them so much that I took them.”

I identify with so much of his sad moral failing there. Seeing things I want and being tempted to grab for them. Not a robe or a bar of gold, but success, approval, popularity.

Achan’s choice led to not only his own destruction, but to the deaths of many soldiers who attacked Ai and failed. A sobering lesson indeed.

However, the new insight I found in the story comes in chapter 8. After Achan is dealt with, God tells Joshua to attack Ai again, and says, “This time you may keep the plunder.”

Wow. If Achan had only trusted God’s timing, treasures would have come his way anyway.

Can we trust God’s timing?

When our prayers seem to always be answered with “wait,” it’s tempting to forge ahead and decide to “make it happen” in our own power. Yet perhaps God has blessings for us in the waiting time. Perhaps He plans treasures around the next bend – if we can trust Him a little longer.

Will you pray with me?

Lord, there are things we long for. Some are dreams You’ve planted in us. Help us discern when its time to forge ahead, and when it’s time to wait. Help us trust You when Your calling for the moment seems to hold us back from treasures. Amen.

How about you? Have you ever spotted a blessing from God’s timing – even if it felt like a delay?

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Blessings,

Sharon Hinck