The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Joshua 18:3,
"How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you?"
After the Israelites entered the promised land and took possession of part of it, they gathered at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. At that time Joshua castigated the Israelites because seven of the tribes had still not taken possession of their land by this time.
Here we have God giving something that the intended receiver failed to take possession of in a timely way. It would require effort, work, and I suspect some sacrifice on their part, but God intended to give this land to these tribes of Israel.
Is there a lesson here for us? What might God be intending to give us today that may take effort on our part? What is it that God may want us to work for, that he might ask of us, "How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of this?"
I am reminded of this kind of issue in the early church. The writer of Hebrews points to some in the church with the charge, "... though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:12-14.
Earlier believers were culpable before God to take, to possess what God had for them: the more mature truths of God's word, the ability to distinguish good from evil, teaching about righteousness, etc. We are as well.
What might there be that God wants me to take possession of that may take effort on my part? Is there anything I should be pursuing? Those in the early church who were mature had trained themselves through constant use of God's word. Perhaps there may be something God wants me to possess that requires an effort on my part.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
"How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you?"
After the Israelites entered the promised land and took possession of part of it, they gathered at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. At that time Joshua castigated the Israelites because seven of the tribes had still not taken possession of their land by this time.
Here we have God giving something that the intended receiver failed to take possession of in a timely way. It would require effort, work, and I suspect some sacrifice on their part, but God intended to give this land to these tribes of Israel.
Is there a lesson here for us? What might God be intending to give us today that may take effort on our part? What is it that God may want us to work for, that he might ask of us, "How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of this?"
I am reminded of this kind of issue in the early church. The writer of Hebrews points to some in the church with the charge, "... though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:12-14.
Earlier believers were culpable before God to take, to possess what God had for them: the more mature truths of God's word, the ability to distinguish good from evil, teaching about righteousness, etc. We are as well.
What might there be that God wants me to take possession of that may take effort on my part? Is there anything I should be pursuing? Those in the early church who were mature had trained themselves through constant use of God's word. Perhaps there may be something God wants me to possess that requires an effort on my part.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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