Prayer Request: A couple nights ago I felt like the Holy Spirit was waking me up to work on something. It's a small project, but it actually started on this blog, back when we were reading Exodus. The plan is to write a series of small booklets (actually called "zines") that give artists and crafters ideas for using their hobby directly for the Kingdom. The night He woke me up with the idea, I stayed up until 6am working on it, and have the first one about 1/4 done. My prayer request is this: That I can maintain the excitement that I have for it, and that I don't get tripped up by the Enemy. Already I feel that starting with, "Who is ever going to use this thing?" or "Do you really think there are other Christians in the liberal etsy community? You'll be ridiculed." You know the drill. The same old stuff, but somehow it's still hard to fight! But for months now I have been praying for a way to incorporate my on-line shop and with what I know to be my life's purpose of sharing the Gospel and making disciples for Christ. Thanks for your prayers.
Okay, let's get down to business!
Chapter 12 is a quick geography lesson, using the battles won by Joshua. It's mostly review, but the true impact of the victories hit me with verse 24: "...in all it was 31 kings." Our God is a God of impossible triumphs.
Chapter 13
The division of the conquered land among the tribes. Verses 14 and 33 mention Levi and the fact that his tribe doesn't get an inheritance of land or riches. It doesn't really seem fair that an entire tribe of people get left out of the spoils of war. But they do have something pretty incredible. Their livelihood is dependent on the faithfulness of the other tribes. In short, their entire being depends on the influence of God on the lives of His people. While it might be scary to have no ownership or control of your own life, it is even more exciting to see God's miraculous provision first-hand. Being a pastor's family, I've seen much of this myself, since we are reliant on part of the Body for our financial means. God has provided for us lavishly through our congregation, and I would not trade that for any earthly inheritance.
Chapter 14
I had wondered, back when we read about God's punishment of His people, and how they had to wander for 4o years, and that none of them would see the promised land...were Joshua and Caleb born after the exodus, or were they exempt from the punishment because of their faithfulness? I thought it was the latter, but the text was a little vague, and I didn't want to jump to conclusions. But here in verse 7 I finally have my answer. Joshua and Caleb were in fact among those who fled from Egypt, and they were the only two allowed to live to see the promised land! Scripture reading is like a treasure hunt!
Verses 11-15 Caleb is a man to be imitated. He has been faithful and diligent for God these 85 years. He has earned the inheritance that he requests of Joshua, but is he going to settle down into retirement and live the rest of his years getting fat off of the "interest" of his reward? No, at eighty-five, Caleb is full of strength and fervor from the Lord. He says, "Now that I have this land, and I know what God wants done with it, let me be a part of making it happen!" Lord, make me like Caleb in my later years!
Next time: Joshua 15-17
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