I wonder if you have recently been thinking about destiny and how it works out for you. Is it held in our own hands? Is it dependent upon who and what we choose to follow? How do we handle the consequences that take place from the choices and decisions we have made? If we look at the long and full life of Joshua we might find some answers to those questions posed.
As a young man Joshua was chosen and happy to follow the Lord’s calling upon his life. In his later years he encouraged the Israelites to recommit to their important covenant love and loyalty.
In Numbers 13 – 14 we read about Moses sending out spies that included Joshua and Celeb, to check out the promised land of Canaan. It is interesting to note the different responses that were given after the 40 day visit.
Positive. The land was full of fruit and flowed with milk and honey! It was a destiny to embrace?
Negative. The land was full of strong and giant like people. The cities were fortified, with the implication that they should not enter the land! A destiny to avoid?
Joshua and Caleb were the only adults to enter Canaan, as all the others had died after all their grumbling and wanderings in the wilderness over a 40 year period.
Chosen
In Numbers 11:28 Moses chose Joshua, the son of Nun, to act as his personal assistant, aged around 70. Joshua then led the people into Canaan, having crossed miraculously over the River Jordon. Joshua was encouraged three times by the Lord his God to ‘Be strong and very courageous’ (Josh1: 6, 7, and 9)
Joshua consolidated ground around Gilgal and won many battles against the Canaanites that included Jericho. He had a very difficult task of keeping together the people, dividing the land amongst the fractional tribes and then establishing a national sanctuary at Shecham before his retirement and death aged 110.
Follow
Consider for a moment your own destiny in life? Do you feel fully in control or out of control? Who is influencing you and who are you choosing to follow? Are you wise in making those life choices and do you understanding the consequences? Increasingly in the UK and throughout the western world faith, obedience and purity has diminished and with it any sense of accountability for the consequences, both moral and spiritual, that arise from choices we make and follow.
Rest
One of the themes in the book of Joshua is rest. The people had travelled for 40 years and God was going to give them a new home to act as a place of permanent rest. (Josh 1:13)
During the past few days we have been reflecting upon the long and full life of Prince Philip who was ‘laid to rest’ yesterday.
He wasn’t a saint but in his own way he chose to follow and hold on to a personal faith in God, which showed itself in a devoted life of love and service to his family, friends and country.
The challenge to son Charles and then grandson William will be to make the right choices before God and country and to honour the Lord as clearly as our Queen has. The same applies to Boris Johnson the Prime Minister and all who make daily decisions about the fabric and spirituality of our lives here in the UK and beyond.
Covenant Commitment
The memorial stones as referenced in Joshua Chapter 4 and at Shecham symbolise the faithfulness of the Lord in the past and how he will be in the future.
There are three themes we can learn from Joshua. 1) The importance of holding on to our unique Christian faith. 2) To seek, find and be obedient to God’s destiny for our lives. 3) To live a life of purity and holiness that does not get lost when living in a land of other gods and distractions.
In Exodus 32 Moses challenged the people to choose who they were going to serve? This came after he had meet with God to receive the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. When he descended, the grumbling people had made wrong choices in forming golden images to worship which had their own consequences.
At this point we may be reminded of what Joshua said to the people in chapter 24. “Choose you this day whom you will serve”. His own response was: “In our Home, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua in Chapter 23: 1-5, gathered the leaders together to remind them of God’s goodness and to say his farewell after a long time had passed since the settlement of the tribes. He reminded them of the nation’s history that was a story of divine activity. God was at work for the nation as so often declared with the words ‘The Lord your God’ ‘is with you’.
From verses 6-16, Joshua looks forward in confidence, that the people will be faithful and aware of the consequences of disobedience. To obey all the law Moses gave them and not turn from it, either to the left or to the right (Josh 1:7). Joshua obeyed God’s law and defeated the Canaanites, established new land for the tribes and morally encouraged all to recommit to God’s covenant which continued a generation after Joshua’s death.
Destiny
Let’s go back to the questions at the beginning.
Whose hands are we placing our destiny in? Ourselves? The gods of this world?
Who are we choosing to follow? Are we aware of the consequences?
May we confidently choose to follow Christ, his teachings and life example?
May we choose to be obedient to God’s word and his spirit in all our decision making? May we seek to live a holy and pure life in thought, word and deed?
Give thanks for your moral and spiritual history. Continue to faithfully worship the Lord with thanksgiving trusting in His future provision, protection and personal presence.
I recommend this beautiful worship song by Stuart Townend What wonder of Grace (My Desire) for further reflection.
Selah
Graham
Explore to Inspire 