Land of Milk and Honey

My husband and I are studying the Old Testament together.  This week we read Numbers 14 where Joshua has to reassure the people that God wants them to eat milk and honey.  He wants them to have the richness of the land.  He wants them to prosper.  I wonder if sometimes we feel like God wants us to suffer and so we fail to take advantage of the opportunities we have when we have them - then it is too late.  God wants to prepare us to meet challenges like those in Japan after the earthquake and tsunami; He wants us to prepare for unemployment; He wants us to prepare for rising oil prices and world turmoil.  Preparing is a process that takes faith.  The preparation had to occur on a daily basis.  Yesterday I felt I should stop by one grocery store - not knowing exactly what I was stopping for - I stopped.  They had just cleared the produce racks and I stocked up on apples and bananas for 1/2 the price.  With the savings I bought some quinoa flour to try some gluten free baking.  I marveled, God does provide for us, He will prepare us for times to come and He will fortify us to make it through the challenges we face one day at a time.