from Gary Hamrick
... Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Chapel
for Tue 08/25/2026

... Dig the ditch God has put in front of you today. Obey Him while you wait, trust Him when you cannot see, and confidently expect the Lord to accomplish what only He can do.

Three kings and their armies had marched seven days through the wilderness, and now there was no water. Men and animals were exhausted, and what had begun as a military campaign was quickly becoming a disaster.

Then the word of the Lord came through Elisha: Dig ditches.

Think about that command. The ground was dry. There were no clouds gathering overhead, no sound of thunder, and God specifically said they would see neither wind nor rain. Yet before a single drop appeared, they were told to prepare for water.

That is faith with work clothes on.

It would have been easy for those men to say, “Lord, send the water first, and then we’ll start digging.” But God required obedience before they saw His provision. Their responsibility was not to produce the miracle. Only God could do that. Their responsibility was to believe His Word enough to prepare for what He promised.

There is an important distinction here. Biblical faith is not trying to force God’s hand, nor is it rushing ahead with our own plans and asking Him to bless them afterward. Faith hears what God has said and acts accordingly. As James reminds us, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:26 (NKJV) ⓘ ↗).

Perhaps you are waiting upon the Lord today. You have prayed, but nothing seems to be changing. The landscape is still dry, and there isn’t a cloud on the horizon. The temptation is to do nothing until God does something.

But what has He already told you to do?

Has God called you to forgive? Then forgive. Has He shown you an area of sin that needs to go? Put it away. Has He called you to serve, give, witness, pray, or take some other step of obedience? Then start digging.

Notice what happened next: “Suddenly water came by way of Edom, and the land was filled with water” (2 Kings 3:20 (NKJV) ⓘ ↗). The soldiers dug, but God supplied the water. Their obedience did not create His power; it positioned them to receive what He had promised.

Dear believer, you do not need to understand how God will accomplish His purposes before you obey Him. Trust His Word and faithfully do what He has placed before you. Leave the miracle to Him.

Lord, help me trust Your Word even when I cannot see what You are doing. Give me faith to obey what You have already called me to do, patience to wait upon You, and confidence to leave the results in Your hands. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

• Hebrews 11:1 ↗ - Faith trusts what God has promised even when it is not yet visible.
• James 2:17-18 ↗ - Genuine faith is demonstrated through obedient action.
• James 2:26 ↗ - Faith is made evident when we act in obedience to what God has said.
• Proverbs 3:5-6 ↗ - Trust God rather than relying on your own understanding.
• Isaiah 40:31 ↗ - Wait upon the Lord with confidence when His provision seems delayed.
• John 14:15 ↗ - Love for Christ is demonstrated through obedience to His commands.
• Galatians 6:9 ↗ - Continue doing what is good even when the results are not yet visible.