JOSHUA 22:3

For a long time now—to this very day—you have not deserted your fellow Israelites but have carried out the mission the Lord your God gave you.

TO PONDER

In today’s passage, Joshua has summoned a couple of the Twelve tribes of Israel and praises and blesses them. He’s let them know that they’ve done a good job – that they have listened and responded to Moses’ instructions and have obeyed his own commands. As the leader of the group, this is what was expected. 

Joshua allows them to rest but leaves with a quiet warning to ‘be very careful to observe the commandments and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul’.  

That is a big task! Can we do that? Can you honestly say you’ve ticked the box of all those requirements above? I’d like to say I can, but no way. There are many times I do not walk in his ways, or keep his commandments, or serve him – but the comforting thing is, God allows U-turns. He knows our heart, and listens to our laments, and allows us to try again, and again and again. And never gets tired of us giving it another go. 

PRAYER

Father in Heaven, thank you for your patience. Thank you for allowing us to turn back to you every time we turn away. Thank you for your grace upon grace. Amen      

Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping