Possession, Not Procrastination

I have a confession to make: for nearly two decades, I have been one of those husbands who gets stuck Christmas shopping on December 24. Not because of anyone else’s choices; oh no, it’s completely my fault. Each year I say that I’m going to do better and plan ahead throughout the year. And yet, I end up secretly empathizing with the other husbands as we panic and buy last-minute gifts for our lovely wives. Are there support groups for this?

College life was the same—way too many all-nighters cramming for finals or typing last-minute term papers. I always envied other students who were able to pace themselves throughout the semester and turn things in ahead of time. 

Am I the only one God is dealing with to break the habit of procrastination? When you examine your life, do you recognize things that you are putting off that you know you should be doing? More importantly, have you been placing things on the backburner that God wants you to do? If so, you can probably see yourself in this admonition from Joshua to Israel.

In Joshua 18, we observe Joshua’s exhortation to over half of the tribes of Israel who were dragging their feet in taking the land that God had already given them:

Now that the land was under Israelite control, the entire community of Israel gathered at Shiloh and set up the Tabernacle. But there remained seven tribes who had not yet been allotted their grants of land. Then Joshua asked them, “How long are you going to wait before taking possession of the remaining land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given to you?” Joshua 18:1-3 (NLT)

It wasn’t until the Tabernacle was set up that Joshua gave the challenge to the other seven tribes. Principle: It is when we are in God’s presence (His Tabernacle) that we are reminded of His finished work. We see our promised inheritance from His perspective. We are assured of the victory that has always been ours through Jesus.

Today, God is cheering us on to take spiritual possession of what He has already given. Many times, God is waiting for us to stop procrastinating and do what He has put into our hearts. His answer is Yes! At the same time, we recognize this can’t be done through our willpower; it must be done by partnering with Him.

God’s heart is to lead us in paths of righteousness, bearing fruit that remains. As we keep our eyes on Jesus, our spiritual enemies must watch as we feast at the table He has prepared for us. (Psalm 23: 3, 5) Through Him, we truly are “more than conquerors.”

Prayer for today:
Father, thank You for Your everlasting kindness. I stand in awe of who You are, our conquering King. Thank You for leading me into all truth and opening my eyes to all that You paid for me to have. I choose to partner with You today to see spiritual territory gained in the spirit. I ask You to give me understanding as to what that looks like. May You receive all the glory. I recognize I can do nothing in my own strength. In Jesus’ name, amen.