Day 4

Hustle and Grind

God gives us opportunities to see His faithfulness and miracles, but sometimes we have to do our part (hustle and grind in faith) in order to see it.

Joshua is a good example of God giving an opportunity to show His faithfulness through a miracle, and Joshua had the courage to get up and go after the miracle (or hustle and grind). Joshua chased after the miracle God promised. He did not sit back in a recliner waiting for a miracle to plop in his lap, nor was God handing out miracles that way. God had instructions that required work and effort before they saw the blessings/miracles - not because “works” earn us anything, but because working shows our faith in Him.

When Joshua was one of the spies, he covered rough terrain for days, dealing with whatever weather and obstacles arose, trying to stay hidden, being acutely observant of everything about the enemy and every possible danger he might encounter. This wasn’t a cake walk. Joshua had the courage to keep going because he knew God kept His promises. Even if the situation looked bleak, he knew who His God was. Joshua had to hustle and grind to complete the mission that later led to them entering the Promised Land.

When crossing the Jordan, it wasn’t like 15 people crossing a street at a red light. It was approximately 2 million men, women, children, elderly, and their cattle. The river was at flood stage (picture the rushing waters we’ve seen in the news about Western North Carolina back in the fall). Joshua was supposed to help get them across an approximately 100 foot wide river that’s 10 feet deep, rushing fast. When, boom! the waters split and the land was dry and a path was made for them to cross. I wonder how long that took? 3 days? 3 weeks? Hustle and grind, keeping this many people and cattle moving… moving toward the Promised Land.

Then God told them to take 12 stones from the river and build a memorial to commemorate the miracle of this crossing and to tell generations of children that came after them about God’s faithfulness. This wasn’t like David’s river rocks that fit in his pocket. No, these were 50-75 lb mini boulders, small enough to fit on a man’s shoulder and large enough for anyone who saw them to know they were carried and placed there. They could have carried them up to 2 miles to the location for the memorial. The hustle and grind it took to make that memorial - whew, I'm exhausted thinking of carrying 75 lbs two miles! Do we put in that much effort to commemorate God’s faithfulness to show our children? Sadly, no, we don’t. I’ve got to do better reminding our kids of God’s faithfulness in our past so they will trust Him in their future.

And finally, Jericho. The children's song says, “Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho. Joshua fought the battle of Jericho and the walls came tumbling down.” Well, these folks were not used to battles. They had been enslaved for a very long time, generations upon generations. Who knew how to fight? No one was trained to do so. God didn’t just say, show up, walls will drop, and enter and enjoy. Nope, He made them work for it. They had to march around this intimidating city once a day for 6 days, in silence, carrying the ark. The waiting and whining back at camp to enter the Promised Land...can you imagine? Sometimes we may be waiting on a miracle of our own. Are we doing the hustle and grind? Walking in faith is not easy. Then the seventh day arrived, they marched around the city 7 times and made a heck of a lot of noise. Only then, (after they were obedient to the hustle and grind request), did God follow through with the miracle. This city was double walled, with a 15 foot tall stone base with up to 25 feet of bricks on top, and 8-14 feet wide. Not like your neighbors' 6 ft wood fence. And the walls fell, crashed, in thunderous tumbling.

Sometimes our faith is tested. What we are going through seems like a 25 foot tall wall that’s 14 feet thick.. or looks like a rushing river that will never end. Take heed. Hustle and grind your way through your faith walk because day 7 is coming. Keep going. Don’t stop on day 6. Keep going. One more minute, one more foot. Make it through one more day. God is faithful and His promises await. God’s people didn’t stay in this Promised Land long because they went back to their old ways, but God has a Promised Land for us and has made a way for us to never have to leave. He sent Jesus to be the path for eternity with God. So keep on keeping on, hustle and grind, keep going in your faith. But do your part. God’s promises are coming. Your day 7 is coming.

And when you get there, celebrate the victory, document it in some way to share with your children and their children that God is real, He is faithful.

By: Leah Lightner