Scripture:

“Now, stay strong and steady. Obediently do everything written in the Book of The Revelation of Moses—don’t miss a detail. Don’t get mixed up with the nations that are still around. Don’t so much as speak the names of their gods or swear by them. And by all means don’t worship or pray to them. Hold tight to God, your God, just as you’ve done up to now. God has driven out superpower nations before you. And up to now, no one has been able to stand up to you. Think of it—one of you, single-handedly, putting a thousand on the run! Because God is God, your God. Because he fights for you, just as he promised you.

Now, vigilantly guard your souls: Love God, your God. Because if you wander off and start taking up with these remaining nations still among you (intermarry, say, and have other dealings with them), know for certain that God, your God, will not get rid of these nations for you. They’ll be nothing but trouble to you—horsewhips on your backs and sand in your eyes—until you’re the ones who will be driven out of this good land thatGod, your God, has given you. As you can see, I’m about to go the way we all end up going. Know this with all your heart, with everything in you, that not one detail has failed of all the good things God, your God, promised you. It has all happened. Nothing’s left undone—not so much as a word.” Joshua 23: 6-14 (MSG)

Perspective:

Joshua was reaching the end of his life, but he had a final charge for the Israelites. As he was encouraging them to look back and remember God’s faithfulness, he reminded them of the ways God has given them victory as they followed Him. A key to their success was their hearts being set on God. In Joshua 23:14 (MSG), he states, “Know this with all your heart, with everything in you, that not one detail has failed of all the good things God, your God, promised you. It has all happened. Nothing’s left undone—not so much as a word.” With this statement, Joshua had to have remembered his journey. The time he was sent into the Promised Land as a spy would have been vivid, only to be contrasted by the reality that the people were too afraid to enter the Land.  This lack of faith caused Joshua to wander in the desert with the Israelites for 40 years. He probably wondered if he would ever actually reach the Promised Land. When Moses passed the torch to Joshua, Joshua assumed the responsibility of leading all the people. What about the time when they stood at the wall of Jericho and, instead of following a prescribed military strategy, they followed God’s strategy and started marching around the wall? There were so many moments that Joshua experienced that tested and refined his faith. Yet, as he and the Israelites committed to following God, God was present. God was the one who brought them through the wilderness and across the Jordan River into unknown territory. God was the one who had given them victory when all odds seemed against them. As Joshua looked back, he saw that the promises of God had been fulfilled.

In our lives, we cannot look back over our whole life before we live it, and neither could Joshua. However, there is a lesson that we can learn from Joshua’s experience. What seemed like it would not work out at the time resulted in God bringing victory into their lives as they wholeheartedly committed themselves to God. I believe the same principle is true for you and me. The promises that God has placed in your heart might not all happen today, this week, or this year. However, God brings about completion and fulfillment to His Word. Basically, He is faithful. As you apply Joshua’s final life reflection to your life, realize that God will work together all of the unfinished pieces in your life as you continue to follow Him. Even as you look back on different seasons of your life thus far, you can remember how God brought you through each season. With other things, it may take your whole life for you to see how God was working in your life when you received an unwelcome diagnosis or a loss of a friend. Joshua understood that God is faithful. Everything didn’t happen on the time schedule that Joshua thought it would. When he was wandering in the desert for 40 years, he could have kept thinking each year about how far behind schedule they really were. However, God’s timing does not undermine His faithfulness; it confirms it. Even when the timeline of God’s faithfulness in your life is different than you expect, God is fulling His Word in your life. Keep pressing on.

Scripture taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002.  Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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About Hona Amer

I help people live life to the fullest. Check out my book, Smart Work U. Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. In order to receive updates, subscribe below.

 

 

 

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