DEUTERONOMY 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
TO PONDER
Let’s visualise the background to today’s reading. Over a million Israelites are camped on the eastern side of the Jordan river. 40 years earlier they had left Egypt where they had been living as slaves, and they had spent the intervening years wandering through the deserts in the Sinai Peninsula. Now they were going to be led by Joshua across the Jordan to take over the land promised to Abraham and his descendants. However, this land was occupied by fierce warlike people living in heavily fortified cities. So not a simple task for these desert nomads.
One of the first challenges for us with this picture, is the idea of the Israelites attacking the current residents of Canaan without provocation. They were about to begin a program of ethnic cleansing. I wouldn’t be surprised if you found this clashing with your 21st century sensibilities. However, there are two things to remember. The Canaanites, and the other tribes living in Canaan, had become quite degenerate and God had decided to wipe them out; and the task given to the Israelites was directed by God Himself and it wasn’t something the Israelites decided by themselves to do. In fact, they were quite frightened by the prospect of what God was leading them to do.
Now, I am not suggesting in any way that God is directing any nation today to practice ethnic cleansing on any other nation. And the love that Jesus lived and showed guides us in loving our enemies and working to draw all people into He saving love. But some of the situations God may be inviting us to be involved in may be just as scary to us as for the Israelites about to enter Canaan.
Going back to the Israelites, their first battle was at Jerico, where God did most of the fighting. Joshua led the soldiers around the walls of the city for 7 days at which time the walls of the city fell down and the inhabitants of the city were easily defeated.
God helps us in the battles we face in much the same way. He fights the battles, but asks us to turn up and do uncomplicated things such as marching around the walls of the city for 7 days.
Another way we can look at what God is asking us to do is like being asked to deliver a valuable gift to someone. The task is not hard, but the blessing to the recipient may be awesome, and we have been there to see the blessing and healing brought to someone by the amazing love and grace of God.
Prayer: Heavenly Family, You have assured us that You will never ask us to do something You haven’t already equipped us to do. Please help us to believe this promise whenever You call us to go with You and be part of the work of Your Family. Amen
Today's devotion written by Charles Bertelsmeier, LifeWay Epping