Joshua.
It's the book I keep returning to. I don't know if it's partly because I feel so much LIKE Joshua or because my church is also doing a series on this amazing man of God. A man that picked up his cross at a moments notice and had to deal with a bunch of complaining, grumpy, whiny, and FEARFUL Israelites. They had been traveling 40 years wanting nothing more than the promise that God had given them. They wanted their inheritance and they were losing heart.
Then their leader died.
And Joshua was commissioned to lead them. A man who had just merely been Moses' right-hand guy. He's suddenly in a leadership position. He's suddenly thrown into a place where all of these fearful people are looking towards HIM for the answers. And you know what? Joshua was looking UP for the answers because I bet behind his composed smile and calm stature, he was trembling from the very depth of his soul. How was he suppose to get from this place of defeat and confusion; a valley of mourning and questioning to the fulfilled promise of the Father? How? What if? Is if even possible?
All those questions running through his mind and yet, he continually looked up. Even when God told him that he would be taking down Jericho with TRUMPETS – he kept looking up, kept trusting, and pushed forward. When his men looked at him like he had LOST HIS MIND, he calmly stood firm with his calling and instructed them to keep blowing the trumpets.
And then . . . the walls fell.
God came through.
And they were astonished. Their faith was tested.
Joshua's faith was tested.
And God proved once again that His promises don't come back void.
Then we reach a place in the book of Joshua that is all about what the Israelite's did and where they set up their cities and all this so-called 'boring' stuff we usually skim over until it 'gets good' again. But what have we missed by skimming over that part? My pastor spoke about it tonight. The beauty of those six chapters explaining exactly what they did in their land:
"So the Lord gave to Israel all the land of which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it and dwelt in it. The Lord gave them rest all around, according to all that HE had sworn to their fathers. And not a man of all their enemies stoofd against them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass." Joshua 21:43-45
God explained how the Israelites dwelt in their land to prove one thing to us: He fulfills His promises. They come to pass. Perhaps it's not how we think, wish, or dream it will come to pass but it comes to pass. Even if we wind up on the wrong route or make decisions that take us elsewhere. God takes those moments, turns them into beautiful testimonies, and places us back where we belong in the calling He has for us. And His promises do come to pass.
So don't give up.
Don't lose faith.
He's going to fullfill His promise to you.
Don't be discouraged.
God knows how we are going to get from (here) to (there).
We don't have to have all the answers.
We just have to trust, believe, and hold tight to our faith.
God's got it.
Don't underestimate Him.
