Entering the Promised Land
The people are poised within
view of the land promised to
their ancestors and denied their
unbelieving parents. The task
seems impossible: a swollen
turbulent river and mighty walled
cities to conquer. So God begins
to prepare His people for the days
of warfare ahead. He reminds
Joshua that careful attention to
His Word brings blessing & success
Spies are sent to survey Jericho,
the first obstacle in the land.
The priests bearing the ark
of covenant, lead the people
across the rampaging Jordan.
The stage is set for conquest.
Joshua demonstrated his faith in
God as he took up the challenge
to lead the nation. The Israelites
reaffirmed commitment to God
by obediently setting out across
the Jordan to possess the land.
As we live the Christian life,
we need to cross over from the
old life to the new, put off our
selfish desires and press on to
possess all God has planned for us.
Like Joshua and Israel, we need
courageous faith to live the new life
Lord, Help us Meditate on Yr Word;
Help us Remember Your Deeds &
Help us Be Open to Your Will. Amen
Lord, we’ll Meditate on Your Word:
Do not let this Book of the Law
depart from your mouth; meditate
on it day and night, so that you
may be careful to do everything
in it. Then you will be prosperous
and successful (Joshua 1:8).
Lord, I pray that every time I read
Your Word, You will teach me
all I need to know. Help me to
understand Your truth & speak to
me specifically how each passage
relates to my life & lives of others.
Help me to meditate on Your Word
and take steps of obedience so
that I can live in Your perfect will
and prosper as You promise. Amen
Lord, we’ll Be Open to Do Your Will:
Joshua secretly sent out two spies..
He instructed them: Scout out
the land on the other side of the
Jordan River esp around Jericho.
So the 2 men set out & came to the
house of a prostitute named Rahab.
(And) Rahab went to the roof to
talk with them: I know the Lord
had given you this land… We heard
how the Lord dried up the Red Sea
and what you did to the two kings
of the Amorites (Joshua 2:1-10).
Lord, You directed the spies to
Rahab’s house because You knew
her heart was open to You and
that she would be instrumental in
the Israelite victory over Jericho.
You God often uses people with
simple faith to accomplish Your
great purposes no matter what
kind of past they have or how
insignificant they seem to be.
Help us be Open to Your Will. Amen
Lord, we’ll Remember Your Deeds:
Joshua said to the Israelites: In
future your children will ask, What
do these stones mean? Then you
can tell them: the Lord your God
dried up the river right before your
eyes and He kept it dry until you
were all across, just as he did at
the Red Sea… He did this so all the
nations of the earth might know
that the Lord’s hand is powerful
and so you might fear the Lord
your God forever (Josh 4:21-24)
Lord, U are calling us to remember
because looking at what You had
done in the past builds our faith
for the present and the future.
You are promising that the same
power You had demonstrated in
the past is available in the present.
So, we will remember Your deeds
of grace and lovingkindness. Amen