The LORD your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. — Deuteronomy 7:22
There are all kinds of miracles, and all kinds of situations leading up to them. But let me focus on two of them. First, there is the back-against-the-wall, I-need-You-now kind of situation that results in the parting of the Red Sea, the raising of Lazarus from the dead, the deliverance of the three Hebrew children.
Second, there is the conquest of Canaan. God could have wiped out all the evil inhabitants of the land in an instant, and held the door wide open for the people of Israel to occupy. But He refused to do it that way. Instead, He promised to drive out the evil inhabitants little by little.
God required them to depend on daily miracles – not a once-for-all-time miracle. Daily they needed supernatural strength and wisdom to win and not lose. Everything was at stake.
In the same way, God could easily wipe out everything that holds us back in the Christian life. But don’t hold your breath – it isn’t going to happen. The Christian life is like the conquest of Canaan, God wants to grant you new grace for new victories day by day.
Be encouraged!
Dwight
Dwight Clough is the author of four Christian books and is an active member of Lake City Church in Madison. This devotional is also available via email and you may review the archives back to 2002. To contact Dwight or Kim, use their contact form. You may also support their ministry.