“Everything begins with faith. The absence of it results in wilderness years. The presence of it results in Promised Land living.”- Max Lucado
When Max Lucado’s three daughters were preschool-age, he played a bedtime game with them he called “Ladies and Gentlemen.” Max would hold the girls upside down and swing them around, tossing them on the sofa or flipping them over the ottoman. Never in all those flips and tosses did the girls question what Dad was doing. They completely trusted him.
In Chapter 9 (“Don’t Trust Stuff”) of Glory Days, Pastor Lucado notes that while Joshua and most of the Israelites trusted God, a man named Achan did not. Achan blatantly and deliberately violated God’s command that “everything made from silver, gold, bronze, or iron is sacred to the Lord and must be brought into his treasury” (Joshua 6:19, NLT). They were to completely trust God to meet their needs. For reasons known only to Achan, he didn’t trust God’s wisdom or His ability to provide and protect.
As only Max can phrase it, Achan “saw the bling and forgot his king.” In the Promised Land God has established, He is the sole source of blessing. To the degree we trust God, Glory Days will happen. Max asks:
“Whom do you trust? God or King More? King More . . . loses his value. He goes out of style. For all the promises he makes, he cannot keep a single one. King More will break your heart. But the King of kings? He will catch you every single time.”
Today’s question (from the study guide): How has God provided for you in small ways that were still significant? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “No failure is fatal”