Leave The Starting Line

One of the mottos I try to live by is, “Go, set, ready.” Most of us have heard and used that phrase in the opposite order. What I’ve realized is that I can use ”ready” and “set” as excuses to keep me from going. I’ll tell myself, “It’s not ready yet. I need more time to get it ready.” I allow myself to use that excuse knowing it will never be “ready” enough. The other thing I do is feel like I have to “set” things in order before I can go. Again, all I’m doing is waiting for the right moment which never comes. Years will go by and I’m still standing on the starting line having never gone anywhere because I’ve kept myself busy getting ready and set. I’ve learned to go and get things in order after I start moving and to work on making them ready while in motion.

In Joshua 13, God told Joshua, “You are growing old, and much land remains to be conquered” (NLT). God wasn’t calling him a failure, but was pointing out that the job of conquering all the land He had given Israel was unfinished. There was more to do. Then God said, “I myself will drive these people out of the land ahead of the Israelites. So be sure to give this land to Israel as a special possession, just as I have commanded you. Include all this territory as Israel’s possession when you divide this land among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.” God told Joshua to give it to the tribes before it was conquered. It was unfinished, inhabited and formidable. God was telling them if they would go, He would drive out the inhabitants for them, but they couldn’t stand still. The gift He was giving was greater than their capacity. They would never feel ready or set enough.

Philippians 1:6 says, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” There are some things that will remain unfinished and imperfect in your life. Don’t let that stop you from obeying. God is still working. In fact He began while we felt inadequate, but if we keep going, He will be faithful to complete what He began. The things He’s called you to may feel formidable, unfinished and unconquerable, but don’t let that keep you on the starting line. As you go to possess it, He will complete the work. He will drive out the inhabitants. Your job is to get off the starting line in faith. Quit making excuses. Go!

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash