Hello Sweet Friends,
Today’s Reading … Joshua 1-15
We made it to the Promised Land!!! We celebrated the beauty of creation and grieved the fall of man. We waded through the waters of the flood and sighed as humankind fell again in their attempts to build the Tower of Babel. We rejoiced in the miraculous birth of Issac and wrestled with Jacob as he became the leader of the tribes of Israel. We followed Joseph from Canaan to the leadership in Egypt. He heard God’s people cry to Him from their place of bondage and stood in awe as God raised up Moses to lead them out. We collectively lost our breath as we witnessed the plagues in Egypt and the Israelites passage through the Red Sea. Admittedly, we rolled our eyes at the Israelites grumbling and wandering in the wilderness. However, we saw ourselves in their brokenness and related to their fear. We locked in on details of the Law, The Ark of the Covenant and the Tabernacle because we, like the Israelites, long to draw close to our perfect God. Through it all, we found our God to be faithful, to be trustworthy. We can, with great confidence, respond to His invitation, “Trust Me.” Yes Lord, we trust you!
Now, we move to our next theme. Armed with the confidence of a trustworthy God, we vow to keep moving, keep fighting, keep trusting. “Don’t Give Up!” will be our cry throughout the conquests of Joshua, Judges and 1 Samuel.
“Don’t Give Up!” Our problems are not bigger than God. Our families may forsake us. Our enemies may frighten us. Our children may blame us. Our emotions may betray us. Or sin may entangle us. Our health may fail us. But our God has never given up on us. And so we don’t give up on God (Fast Track).
In the first chapter of Joshua, the Lord commands His people to “be strong and courageous” three times. This command guarantees that there will be something difficult ahead. Otherwise, the need to be courageous would not exist! Each of these commands is surrounded with the promise that “I will never leave or forsake you.” The trust that Joshua has in God will strengthen him and keep him from giving up. Likewise, the foundation of trust that we have in God will allow us to face all of life’s challenges courageously. Not because we are brave, but because God will be with us. “Have I not commanded you? ‘Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go'” (Joshua 1:9).
Love you all!
Kinsee
“so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return empty, but accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it”(Isaiah 55:11).
