Reality Stinks…Joshua had simply grown old and there was still lands to take. Amid all the victories and the clear obedience of the people, God sits Joshua down and speaks of next steps. The Philistines were left. God said to Joshua–don’t worry, you focus on getting the land distributed and I will drive out the mountain people, Myself.
In God’s mind, a covenant is a covenant. He told the people He would give them all the land, and He intended to do so.
For Joshua, it had to be a hard message. He had done all that had been told to him to do and now he was at the end and could no longer lead campaigns. But God was not threatening or disciplining Joshua; instead, God was comforting the strong and courageous leader that he could do the next part of the mission, distribution, and God would take care of clearing the land.
As in Joshua’s life, we have reality checks in our lives as well. We are bustling along attacking our missions; when life throws curve balls. All at once, we are faced with hard realities and fear the mission will not be completed. In those times, our heavenly Father pulls us aside and through His word says, “I got this!”
It is often hard to hear, it takes a great deal of faith, but, if we will trust God; He will complete what He has started in our lives. To God, it is not an act of discipline–instead, it is a simple act of love and faithfulness.
God Bless You
When Joshua had grown old, the Lord said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.
2 “This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and Geshurites, 3 from the Shihor River on the east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north, all of it counted as Canaanite though held by the five Philistine rulers in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron; the territory of the Avvites 4 on the south; all the land of the Canaanites, from Arah of the Sidonians as far as Aphek and the border of the Amorites; 5 the area of Byblos; and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath.
6 “As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them out before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you, 7 and divide it as an inheritance among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh.”
Walking With God 