Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Joshua's Caution

 

Wednesday, July 6, 2022

The years passed, and the Lord had given the people of Israel rest from all their enemies.  Joshua, who was now very old, called together all the elders, leaders, judges, and officers of Israel.  He said to them, “I am now a very old man.  You have seen everything the Lord your God has done for you during my lifetime.  The Lord your God has fought for you against your enemies.            

“Soon I will die, going the way of everything on earth.  Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the Lord your God has come true.  Not a single one has failed!  But as surely as the Lord your God has given you the good things he promised, he will also bring disaster on you if you disobey him.  He will completely destroy you from this good land he has given you.  If you break the covenant of the Lord your God by worshiping and serving other gods, his anger will burn against you, and you will quickly vanish from the good land he has given you.”  Joshua 23:1-3, 14-16

When Moses was about to die he passed the leadership of the young Israeli nation into Joshua’s hands.  Joshua had faithfully followed and served God, assisting Moses during the wilderness wanderings.  But it was time to cross Jordan without Moses, and obey God’s command to conquer and occupy the Promised Land.  Now, years later, Joshua is getting ready to pass along the leadership to another.  As he leaves the people he loved and led, he gives one last vital caution:  Keep serving God, who loves you – resist anything else.

The meaning of that message needs little explanation…except when a nation, obviously blessed by the hand of God, fails to remember what a blessing they’ve received, and begins to act like they can get along without guidance from, and obedience to, the hand from which that blessing came.

Walking with God’s approval means obeying God’s will. 

It doesn’t get simpler than that.

I mused on that late at night on July 4th as I tried to go to sleep.  The fireworks flashing and sounding off made sleeping somewhat difficult, and the musing led to an inner sense of longing for America to return to serving God.  We have a long way to go on that journey. 

For You Today

Every journey begins with a first step, and God’s people know the right direction to step out.  Standing still will not suffice.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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To dig deeper into this topic or Scripture text:  What Kind of Nation Are We? and Why?

[1] Images:  WikimediaCommons  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©   

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