Joshua 17-21

Joshua finishes distributing the Promise Land to the twelve tribes of Israel in Joshua 17-21.  God's boundaries are well-defined and Canaan is a giant puzzle, with all the pieces fitting together to form a great nation of God's people.  Each of the eleven tribes share a portion of their land with the Levites, giving them 48 towns.  They have also established several cities of refuge for those who are accused of accidental murder.  God is good for His Word, every single bit of it.

44 The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemieswithstood them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hands. 45 Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

Joshua 21:44-45

God's promises for the Israelites are overwhelming and amazing all at the same time.  A light bulb started flashing in my head as I read today.  

Even though God is so good, and everything He promises comes true, the Israelites flounder in realizing the full potential of God's promises for them.

God has given the Israelites the land, hands down, no question   Yet, we see the Israelites struggle to drive out the Canaanites despite God's promise and instruction to do just that.  "They subjected the Canaanites to forced labor" instead. The battle has already been won, and there is hesitation on their part to trust and follow through completely with God's plan.  

It's as if God's promises are so good, they are unbelievable, too good to be completely true.  We know better than that, but God's people settle for less than the best God offers them.  Sound familiar?

I can't help but wonder how that will impact the Israelites' lives later on.       

And here's the thing I know about me...  I look back on my life and realize I have done the same thing!   God's promises for my life are so good.  I know God is true to His word.  I know His plan is best.  But, I make the mistake sometimes of settling for less than His best for me because it seems easier at the time, even logical.  Later, I am able to recognize that I made things a lot harder on myself than they needed to be.  

So when it comes to God and His promises...I have to keep reminding myself...

Following through, completely with God's will, is really important to our futures.  There's a reason for God's details.  We can't give up.  God wants so much more for us than we are even able to imagine, things outside our own realms of thought.

When we give our lives to God and trust His promises, things that seem too good to be true, are true.  That's the reality with God.  That is exactly what happens when His Spirit, His Hands, and His feet are at work in us.

A prayer for today-

Dear God,

I thank You for Your perfect plan for my life, and all the details You work out for Your glory.  Forgive me for the ways I give up too soon and for all the ways I fail to follow through.  I pray for the determination and wisdom to persevere for You in all that I do.

In the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit,

Amen

Blessings,

*This post is part of A Mind-Maker-Upper's Everyday Reading Project.  Click here to read more.