PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Joshua 13-14
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Then the land had rest from war.” (Joshua 14:15)
If only this were true, for then and for now.
This may have been temporary rest, but it did not last.
Changing rulers or clearing out bad people does not bring rest.
Israel may have wiped out their neighbours, but they still lived.
Not even the flood succeeded in solving the human problem.
The human heart still remains inclined to evil (Genesis 6:5)
Our world continues to be at war, to hate more than to love.
Our world, and our hearts will remain restless without the God.
Yet we see a hint of God’s purpose here, to bring rest from sin.
The solution then and now is not war and violence, but divine mercy.
God himself submits to death and violence to break its grip on us.
Violence and death cannot overcome divine love; God’s mercy releases us.
There will be no rest in the world until we surrender to God’s love.
One day, God’s love will reign, and the world will rest in it!
PRAYER
Lord, we desperately need rest from war. I come to you, weary and burdened, and eager to experience your rest.
Joshua finishes of assigning to the tribes of Israel their designated portion of the promised land – but not to Levi: “But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he promised them.” But then Joshua also responds to Caleb and gives him Hebron as his inheritance: “then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. 14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.” We recently were told that we are to receive a portion of an inheritance from a friend who passed last fall. It made us think how we can use that inheritance to be a blessing in recognition of the blessing we received? In both cases of receiving like Caleb or not like Levi – we are all required to be a blessing. Levi is to serve as a tribe of priests – serving in the temple – to be a blessing in that the people are expected to provide for them. Caleb with good stewardship can make Hebron a special place – to shape it so that all are welcome there and feel safe. I too am to be a blessing for others – with whatever I am entrusted – may I faithfully assign all for the Kingdom of God!
I too need to follow the Lord and do what He asked -wholeheartedly. The land can have peace if we follow His way of truth and not our selfish desires. Those desires bring conflict. The inheritance of land for His people was given to the tribes and His own needed to reclaim the land for Him. The inhabitants of the land would lead His people astray as is also true today. I can not be a follower of the Lord and wanting the world’s way at the same time. I neeg to be all for Jesus in my daily living for Him.
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands
All of my ambitions, hopes and plans
I surrender these into Your hands
For it’s only in Your will that I am free
For it’s only in Your will that I am free
Jesus, all for Jesus
All I am and have and ever hope to be