Joshua 22:5a “…be very careful to keep the commandments and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you….”
The words of Joshua to the Israelites that settled on the eastern side of the Jordan as he sends them to their rest are good words for us all to live by: “…love the LORD your God, …walk in obedience to Him, …keep His commands, …hold fast to Him, and …serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
Joshua 22:5b “…to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to Him….”
Notice the order: first, love. Second, obedience. I know that for me, to obey, I have to trust. Love is how that trust is established. Obedience is two-fold: obedience to what He asks of me toward myself (my personal walk) and obedience in how He asks me to relate to others (His commands).
Joshua 22:5c “…to keep His commands, to hold fast to Him….”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder that You have already shown me how to follow You and cling to You. Thank You for the reminder that I am to love, obey, hold fast to, and serve You, with all my heart and all my soul. Thank You for loving me deeply and fiercely. Draw me closer. Amen.
Joshua 22:5d “…and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
Have a blessed day.
God’s timing is always perfect…. (devo reflection)
Joshua 21:43 So the LORD gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their ancestors, and they took possession of it and settled there.
The Israelites have finally made it to the Promised Land. This is the culmination of a journey that started way back in Exodus 3, when God told Moses He had seen the misery of His people and was sending Moses to bring them out of captivity. I bet if anyone had asked Moses his timeline, it would have looked very different.
Joshua 21:44a The LORD gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their ancestors….
But God’s timing is always perfect. “With the LORD a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” (2 Peter 3:8). I struggle with that concept a lot because my type A planner mind wants a solid timeline for how everything will unfold. God has been working with me on that one for a while.
Joshua 21:44b Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hands.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder that Your timing is perfect and Your promises never fail. Thank You for reminding me that I can trust You and Your promises. Always. Help me to lean into that truth so that I can fully claim the inheritance You have for me. Draw me closer. Amen.
Joshua 21:45 Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.
Have a blessed day.
A place of refuge…. (devo reflection)
Joshua 20:1-2 Then the LORD said to Joshua: “Tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge….”
The title of chapter 20 is Cities of Refuge, and that title brings images of great peace. Google defines refuge as “a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble,” and while the chapter itself is talking about very specific refuge for unintended killing, commentary talks about Jesus as our refuge in a much broader sense.
Joshua 20:3 “…so that anyone who kills a person accidentally and unintentionally may flee there and find protection….”
We all feel uncomfortable in our own skin sometimes. We all find ourselves in need of shelter, a place where we are accepted as we are, where we are loved, where we can catch our breath. Perhaps that is another way we can be the hands and feet of Jesus in this world, by being a place of refuge for others who are struggling.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder and encouragement to be a shelter, a place of refuge, in Your name. For those who are struggling, help us to show love, acceptance, and encouragement. Help us to let others know they are not alone as they catch their breath. Help us to embody Your love and grace for all who need it. Draw us closer. Amen.
Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge….
Have a blessed day.
Another way…. (devo reflection)
Joshua 19:49-50 When they had finished dividing the land into its allotted portions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them, as the LORD had commanded….
The words, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:23) echo in this chapter for me. The Israelites have finally claimed their inheritance (though they failed to fully drive out all of the original inhabitants). Joshua has ensured the tribes have claimed their lands.
Joshua 19:50b …They gave him the town he asked for…in the hill country of Ephraim….
From the beginning, Joshua has been faithful. He doesn’t claim his own inheritance until everyone else has theirs, yet he still gets “the town he asked for…in the hill country of Ephraim.” So often on this life we feel we have to strike first and fast to get what we want, but Joshua shows us another way.
Joshua 19:50c …And he built up a town and settled there.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for Joshua’s example. When I meet You face-to-face, I want You to be able to say, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:23). Help me to live a life that makes it possible. Draw me closer. Amen.
Joshua 19:51 …And so they finished dividing the land.
Have a blessed day.
Wasting time…. (devo reflection)
Joshua 18:3 … “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has given you?” (NIV)
What strikes me about this chapter is that there are still SEVEN tribes who had not yet received their inheritance. It was there for the taking, but they hadn’t claimed it. One translation calls it neglect. One uses the phrase “putting it off.” What in the world has them so preoccupied that they can’t fulfill God’s will and gain His reward?
Joshua 18:3 … “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers has given you?” (NKJV)
And of course this leads me to think about my own life and God’s inheritance for me, what He has in store, what He’s led me to, just waiting for me to put in the sweat equity to claim His inheritance. What am I neglecting or putting off in my own life that He is calling me to?
Joshua 18:3 … “How long will you put off entering and possessing the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given to you?” (BSB)
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder that You have a plan for me, a job for me to do, an inheritance for me to possess. Help me to know where You are calling me. Help me to put in the sweat equity You need from me. Help me to fully live the life You call me to. Draw me closer. Amen.
Joshua 18:3 … “How long are you going to waste time conquering the land which the LORD God of your ancestors has given you?” (GWT)
Have a blessed day.
Always and in all ways…. (devo reflection)
Joshua 17:4a They went to Eleazer the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our relatives.” …
This chapter continues to add to the the ways we can be bold in Christ. We’ve seen the boldness of desperation and the boldness of not letting ease and comfort get in the way of God’s plan for our lives. Chapter 17 adds two more layers.
Joshua 17:4b …So Joshua gave them an inheritance along with the brothers of their father, according to the LORD’s command.
First is Zelophehad’s daughters claiming their promised inheritance. They show great boldness in asking for what God has promised them. Then you have the people of Joseph who want more but don’t want to work for it. Joshua tells them to be bold and work hard, that what they want is there for the taking if they will put in the effort.
Joshua 17:14 The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people….”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this look at different ways to be bold in You. Thank You for helping me see that my idea of boldness in You is far too limited. Help me to be bold in You always and in all ways. Draw me closer. Amen.
Joshua 17:15 “If you are so numerous…and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves….”
Have a blessed day.
Ease and comfort…. (devo reflection)
Joshua 16:5 This was the territory of Ephraim, according to its clans:
I think it would be very easy to overlook the value in this short chapter. After all, it is just an accounting of land, unimportant for anyone save the tribes involved, yet I think there is an important lesson here, found in Joshua 16:10.
Joshua 16:10a They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer….
The Israelites didn’t not fully drive out the Canaanites. Commentary says, “…they wanted peace at any cost…” and “…they wanted wealth.” It further paraphrases that to “ease and money.” I can relate. Discord and discontent are really hard for me to deal with, and while wealth is not a driving factor, I do like to be comfortable, not inconvenienced. Jesus, Help me.
Joshua 16:10b …to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the ability to read Your word and find hope, guidance, inspiration, cautionary tales. Help me to carefully discern Your will for my life and not to let ease and comfort keep me from what You are calling me to. Draw me closer. Amen.
Joshua 16:10c …but are required to do forced labor.
Have a blessed day.
The ultimate boldness…. (devo reflection)
Joshua 15:14 From Hebron Caleb drove out three Anakites….
Today has me thinking about what it means to be bold in Christ. Boldness, according to Google, means “willingness to take risks…; confidence or courage.” As I mentioned yesterday, I don’t feel bold in Christ, but as a dear friend reminded me, claiming God’s promises, even when it feels like desperation, can be incredible boldness.
Joshua 15:16 And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Aksah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.”
Maybe when desperation leads me to say, “Lord, I believe You are here because You promised You would never leave me nor forsake me. I believe You are holding me securely even though the world feels like it is falling apart at the seams because You told me repeatedly to be strong and courageous.” Maybe KNOWING that He is with me in my darkness because it’s the only thing I have to cling to, the only truth I will not abandon, maybe THAT is the ultimate boldness.
Joshua 15:18 One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for dear friends who engage me in important contemplation about You. Thank You for opening my eyes to this new view of boldness. You say that You will turn my ashes into beauty, Lord, and by turning my desperation into boldness in You, I catch a glimpse of how You work. Thank You. Draw me closer. Amen.
Joshua 15:19 She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.
Have a blessed day.
Be Bold…. (devo reflection)
Joshua 14:12a “Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day….”
Commentary about this section says: “We should imitate Caleb’s boldness in asking for what God Promised him….God appreciates this kind of boldness.” And Hebrews 4:16 says: “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.” But when I think of myself in God’s presence, bold is not the word that comes to mind.
Joshua 14:12b “…You yourself heard them that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”
I want to dismiss this passage, somehow rationalize it and therefore neutralize it by saying times were different then, God doesn’t speak quite as directly to us anymore. But even as I type the words, they feel like a cop out. Help me, Jesus.
Joshua 14:13 Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for calling me to be bold in You. I do not in any way see myself as bold, Lord, but You created me, and I trust You know what I’m capable of, so help me to be like Caleb, boldly approaching Your throne, boldly claiming Your promises for me. Your will, Lord, not my own. Draw me closer. Amen.
Joshua 14:14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the LORD, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.
Have a blessed day.
Just give me Jesus…. (devo reflection)
Joshua 13:33 But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as He promised them. (NIV)
Joshua 13 is all about the division of lands among the Israelites in the Promised Land. Everybody got a share. Everyone except the Levites. They didn’t get land. They got God.
Joshua 13:33 …the LORD, the God of Israel, had promised that He Himself would be their allotment. (NLT)
I wonder how they felt about that. Was there any jealousy? Was there contentment? Did they truly understand the amazing magnitude of their inheritance? The refrain of a song is echoing through my mind as I type this: “You can have all this world. Just give me Jesus.”
Joshua 13:33 …the LORD God of Israel is their inheritance, just as He said to them. (ESV)
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the reminder that nothing in this world is as important or eternal as You. Help me to live my life with You, in You, for You, and through You. Help me to keep the refrain on my lips: “You can have all this world. Just give me Jesus.” Draw me closer. Amen.
Joshua 13:33 …The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, just as He had promised them. (BSB)
Have a blessed day.