POSSESSING THE LAND

But those who trust in the LORD will possess the land. Psalm 37:9b (NLT)

Maybe you have heard an old cowboy saying, “I paid for this land with lead.”

Or maybe you have heard how important land is to people. To our Western minds in our current culture, it doesn’t seem as critical, but it is in other parts of the world. All one has to do is look at the Middle East, Jerusalem, and more.

Doing a quick perusal of Psalm 37 will reveal what God has for the godly, the righteous, the ones who pursue Him.

But, does it literally mean land? As in acres, lots, hills, etc.?

In the Old Testament, the Promise Land was the Israelite’s inheritance. God took them out of Egypt and ushered them into Canaan, by way of the wilderness, setbacks, disobedience, and more. Not that God got lost, rather the people lost their focus. God was to be worshiped, followed and the One and Only True God in their hearts.

It didn’t happen that way.

First thing out of Egypt they began to complain and it just went downhill from there.

But back to the land and who is the possessor of this land. God desires that His people possess the land. What does that look like now?

What territory are you in? Where are your feet? Your heart? Your hours? I would venture to say that where you are is a portion of the land. Unless of course, you are squatting somewhere you, as a believer, don’t belong.

Having spent many years in Mexico and Central America, I saw squatters’ villages. I saw the poverty, desperation, and hunger. The people wanted better for themselves and their families, but not making a clear long-term plan was lost on them. In some cases, the government gave up and gave in and let them possess the land, but it came with a price.

Trusting in the LORD has a price tag too. Me. Death to self. Death to my wants and desires so that I may possess what He has for me. If I have my hands full tending to territory that is not meant for me, then I don’t have time to possess the land He does have for me.

What types of land are we talking about? Well, for starters, our families. How is our time spent with our families? Are they getting second skimming or the cream of the crop? Are we so exhausted pleasing everyone else and being perfect for others that we let our hair down with those we love, but let it way down – to the point of being unrecognizable? Do I spend myself on life outside my home and family so that nothing is left so someone can squat in my own home? And my own family? Ouch.

I, too, have to evaluate what land I am possessing and if it’s the Promise Land or false real estate. Trusting in the LORD takes work, faith, trust, and prayer. It is not easy to possess anything. I may have a toe on the land, but possessing it is a whole other ball game.

I have to put myself there. A little like saving seats – why do we do that anyway? I don’t know, but we do. We gather everyone’s purses, jackets, books, and Bibles and start staking out a row. We lay claim to our temporary spot. But for those watching, some thoughts going through their minds could be saying, “Now, why don’t they just sit there like the rest of us? Just because there is a piece of them there, doesn’t give them full ownership.” This may be a crude analogy, but the point is, full possession requires something – commitment.

God wants us to commit to Him and He will give us the land. Trusting Him with everything in our lives shows that we are committed to following Him. Sure, it’s scary, but by trusting in Him, we will see that He makes our paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Father God, I thank You for leading me to the Promise Land. May I not forfeit the right to it, but rather follow You to full possession. I know it takes trust – please enable me to trust. I know it takes commitment – please pour into me a new measure of endurance to go the distance with You. I want to please You and I want to have all that You have for me. You are good and do good. And I thank You for that. In the name of Jesus. AMEN