Day 14 - January 31/09

Joshua 15

This is an account of the borders of the land of Judah, given by God as their inheritance. It also lists all the cities and towns within their land. Then, at the end, this verse: "Now as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the sons of Judah could not drive them out; so the Jebusites live with the sons of Judah at Jerusalem until this day. (15:63)"

My question is why they were not able to be driven out? Did the Judahites simply become too lazy, or were they afraid of going to war against a tiny outpost of people? I'm just wondering why they did not trust God and drive out all nations as He told them to.

Then I look at my life. God asks me to drive everything unholy from my life, and what do I do? I pull a Judah. I allow things that should have been gone a long time ago to sit and fester within me, causing a huge problem. Just as the Jebusites will later convince the Israelites to worship false gods, the wrongs within me are daily convincing me that there's no hope and I might as well give in. If I don't purge my system, it will eat away at me from the inside out.

Day 13 - January 29/09

Joshua 14

The land is being divided up, and Caleb comes to Joshua to ask for a piece of land. He is the Caleb who was one of the twelve sent to spy on the land before wandering in the desert. As a kept promise from God, he was the only one of that generation besides Joshua allowed to live and enter the land. So Joshua gave him the hill country he requested.

God remained faithful to Caleb because he was on God's side. He trusted God all those years in the desert, as well as the five years after entering the land. He put his trust completely in God and He honoured Caleb's commitment.

I get impatient waiting on God's promises for even a few weeks. The longest one I've been waiting on so far has been just over two years, and several times I've almost given up. It is beyond my comprehension waiting on God to come through on His promise for forty-five years. Maybe it's just that I'm still too young to understand that amount of time, or value it, but maybe that's what God is trying to teach me. Patience. Trust. The same themes over and over again. When will I finally get it through my head and my heart?

Day 12 - January 28/09

Psalm 62

"My soul waits in silence for God only" (62:1).

David is waiting for something. He's not quite sure what shape his refuge and salvation will take, but he knows that it will only come from God. At one point he is commanding his soul to wait on God alone, because it is only He who brings hope.

David had the right idea. He knew that putting trust in money or people or the rulers of this earth would never be a firm foundation.

My favourite part is when David says: "He only...is my stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken" (62:2). He doesn't try to pretend that he will never be shaken by the troubles that come into his path, but He knows that because God is what he can hold onto, he will never be greatly shaken.

When I read this psalm, I get a peace inside me in a place that I sometimes forget exists. It's somewhere between my heart and my soul, where only God knows the password. When I finally invite Him over, He comes in and brings with Him the most wonderful feeling of wholeness. I want my soul to only ever long for Him. I am going to make it my mission to only ever long for Him in that place.

Day 11 - January 26/09

Joshua 12 & 13

The first chapter is simply an impressive list of all the kings that the Israelites, under Moses and Joshua, have defeated. Because Joshua is getting old, God commands that all the land be divided amongst the tribes. He reiterates the division of the land across the Jordan for the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh. After He has laid these boundaries out, He once again says:
"But to the tribe of Levi, Moses did not give an inheritance; the Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as He had promised to them."

I don't want to take this verse out of context, and I definitely don't want to be applying something that isn't there, but when I read this verse, I see something that I've never seen before. God gives us Himself as our inheritance. His eternal kingdom is our inheritance. And, like the other tribes received, I think sometimes God gives us a piece of land. He says: "Leanne, I've given you ________ (any given place, let's say Surrey), and the people who live here are under your responsibility. Help them find Me." Am I crazy to think this?

I think God loves it when I am so wrapped up in Him that I forget about the gifts He gives; when I seek His face and not His hand. He has been teaching me this so much lately. I want to be looking for who He is, not what He is doing for me.

Day 10 - January 25/09

Joshua 11

The rest of the kings in the land that will soon become Israel try to defeat Israel, some together and some alone, and all end up failing. God tells Joshua where to go and what to do, and it gets done. The text even says that God hardened the hearts of those kings so that they foolishly rode into battle against Joshua. God was exacting vengeance on the lands of those who had been living in ways that were not pleasing to Him. For this reason, God did not allow them to leave any person alive, because those people might lead them into the temptation of worshiping false gods.

God is not cruel and He does not act out of hatred, but rather from justice. These people didn't all fall before Israel because Israel wanted to move in; they had fallen painfully short of the mark and God wasn't going to allow them to live that way any longer. When Ninevah realized the folly of its ways and turned to God, He treated them with mercy and allowed them to live. Obviously God knew the shape of the hearts of these kings and realized that no sign or prophet would change how they were living.

When most bad things happen in my life, they are of my own making. I lie, so there are consequences. I do things that I know aren't pleasing to God, and He doesn't reward me for those actions. If I want His gifts and His blessings, I need to be living a life that is pleasing in His sight.

Day 9 - January 23/09

Joshua 10

The King of Jerusalem, upon hearing that Gibeon had made peace with Joshua, decided to take the offensive stance and attack Gibeon with four other kings. Israel came to their aid and everyone from the five kingdoms was killed, either by the sword of Israel or hail that God sent down from heaven. During the battle, Joshua prayed for the sun to be stopped in the sky so that they may have the victory by day. God consented, and the sun stayed up what appears to be an extra 24 hours. The five kings, however, had retreated to a cave in Makkedah and were in hiding. Right before killing them, Joshua once again quotes God's "strong and courageous" speech. From there, the Israelites go on to conquer all of Southern Palestine, all in God's perfect timing and with His help.

God took Joshua's disobedience with Gibeon and turned it into an opportunity for His glory. Those five mighty kings were lured into the open and were able to be defeated all at once. God is never surprised by our actions and mistakes, nor does He suddenly go into a panic and hastily change plans which don't work out for the best. God knows the end from the beginning, and He is never taken by surprise. It's an immense comfort to know that this very second that I'm typing in was already known about before my birth. He knows me well enough to already know the decisions I will make, and He loves me despite my greatest downfalls. When I think of the things I've done that were less than satisfying the God's holiness, I can't believe anyone could know those things and still care for me. Yet here is this Almighty God who not only knows my actions, but every thought and motive of my heart...and He still calls me His little girl. Wow.

Day 8 - January 22/09

Joshua 9

Hearing about what the Israelites did to Jericho, the inhabitants of Gibeon tricked Joshua into making a covenant with them to spare their lives. The leaders of Israel did not consult with God first, but hastily made the treaty. When Joshua found out about their lies and questioned the men of Gibeon, they responded that they were in fear of God and had not wanted to die. In response, Joshua cursed them to a life of slavery.

Joshua makes a huge mistake as a leader under God's direction: not taking God's direction. It's not even that he ignores God's orders, but rather decides to rely on his own intellect instead of God's knowledge.

God knows so much better than me what is good for me. Even if all appearances point to a certain thing making me happy, God knows if it really will in the long run. I can choose something for my life right now that will be destructive in the end, but God has everything under His watch and He knows all before it happens.
So why can't I trust him?

Day 7 - January 21/09

Joshua 8

Now that evil has been purged from Israel, God gives Joshua the go-ahead for attacking the land of Ai. Using the previous failure as an advantage, Joshua will lure the opposition out by faking a second retreat, while the rest of the Israelites are waiting in ambush behind the city. God's plan works, of course, and the city of Ai is completely destroyed, along with all its inhabitants. Then they write out the Law of Moses again, and read it aloud to all the people.

When I read this passage, it really makes me think that the Israelites wanted to please God. They had just wandered through the desert for 40 years and were excited to see what He had in store for them in the new land. They wanted to hear His laws and obey them but, like us, sometimes they fell short. I know that sometimes I feel so unworthy of God's love because of how terribly I fall from His commands. Yet somehow, despite it all, He loves me and is still willing to give me the victory once I've come clean before Him. And not only that, He uses the experiences that were bad for the good of the situation. This story is the perfect example of God working all things together for the good of those who love Him. It gets me excited!

Day 6 - January 20/09

Joshua 7

In the previous chapter, God had commanded Joshua that no one was to keep any of the spoils from Jericho. Unfortunately, a man named Achan brings some things back with him. When Israel loses a battle they should have easily won, Joshua is grieved and implores God as to why this happened. God reveals to Joshua that someone has brought disgrace on all of Israel through stealing from Jericho and they will not be able to conquer any more land until the offender has been removed from their society. By casting lots, Joshua is able to figure out that Achan was the one to take treasure from Jericho, and he is stoned to death and then burned along with all his family and everything he owns.

I can't pretend to understand why it was necessary to destroy Achan's family. Perhaps they were accomplices and knew of what he had done, but I still don't see how that decision is just. I've never understood parts of the Bible where one person is punished for another's transgressions.

In my life, I think I can best apply this passage to the parts of myself that I try to keep from God. I tell Him that I can take care of that part on my own, but really He wants me to leave it all to Him. I need to give Him the last 5% I'm holding back.

Day 5 - January 19/09

jJoshua 6

The day has finally come for Israel to battle Jericho. The king and all his warriors have shut themselves within the walls, and Joshua is given the game plan. They arise early for six days, with the armed men, priests, common people and the Ark of the Covenant walking once in a circle around the walled city. They do this in complete silence, except for the blowing of seven priestly trumpets. Then, on the seventh day, all the people walk around the city seven times. And on the seventh time, the priests blow their trumpets and the Israelites let out a loud shout and the walls crumble. Everything in the city is destroyed except for the precious metals, which go into the Lord's treasury, and Rahab's family.

Joshua followed God's commands exactly. It is logical to think that he may have experienced some doubt as to whether this plan would work, but never once does scripture say that he questioned God or asked for another plan of attack. They must have looked ridiculous walking around the city in silence, day after day. Despite how silly he must have felt, Joshua still kept to God's orders and followed through. If they had gone to war, the Israelites probably would have lost some of their own soldiers in the battle, so instead God kept them at a safe distance where not one of their company was lost.

God's ways are not my ways. Sometimes He asks me to do something and it makes absolutely no sense to me. The thing I need to work on is trusting God that because He knows the ins and outs of everything on the planet, He can be trusted to know what will work out in the end. So even when I don't understand His logic, it's alright because I'm not meant to; He is so far beyond me. If He meant for me to know His mind, He would let me in on it. This means that I need to be content with the little knowledge He has given me and simply trust.

Day 4 - January 18/09

Joshua 5

Now that Israel has crossed the Jordan, God asks that all the men be circumcised, as they weren't while in the wilderness. After they have recovered, they begin to eat off the fruit of the land and God stops providing manna. Now that He had brought them into a land of sustenance, He no longer sends food directly from heaven. When Joshua is on his way to Jericho, he comes across the path of an angel. This is when he asks if the angel is for them or against them, and the angel replies that he is neither, but is on God's side.

When I read this, it looks to me as if God doesn't pick sides. Even for His chosen people, He is not saying He is on their side. Instead, it is Joshua who must choose to be on God's side and go along with His plan; it is not the other way around. If I want God's blessing and provision in my life, I need to be on His side and choose to follow His plans. That is when I will see blessing. If I expect that I can just ask God for what I want and, because He loves me, I'll get it, then I have everything mixed around. God has not looked down from heaven and, seeing how awesome I am, decided to join my fan club, but has actually invited me to join His team. If I say yes to that call and live every moment for Him rather than myself, I wonder what kind of blessings He might have waiting.

Day 3 - January 16/09

Joshua 3 & 4

The Israelites are preparing to cross the Jordan River into the Promise Land, and God lets Joshua know that He will show a sign so as to reveal to the people that Joshua is the new leader in place of Moses and has just as much of a relationship with God. When the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant go first to cross the river, the water immediately dries up. The priests stay in the middle of the river until all of Israel has passed on dry land.
After the people have crossed the Jordan, Joshua sends 12 men, one each for the tribes of Israel, back into the dry river to all bring back a large stone. Joshua then used the stones to build a tribute to how God allowed the Israelites to cross the river on dry land; because of this, just as God had said, the people revered Joshua as they had Moses. Joshua did not take the credit for himself, however. He gave all the glory to God and hoped that because of His great actions, the world may know how mighty God is.

I know from experience that being in a place of leadership with others relying on me is not easy, and that's without a following of more than a million people and a recently deceased predecessor who was beloved by the people who are now under my charge. Despite the odds, Joshua took on the responsibility of Israel and relied on God to turn the people's hearts and trust in his favour. Even when the going gets tough and I don't feel like I am the influence I should be, or even someone worthy of leadership, I know that I can count on God to put me in the place I belong, whether that be in a leadership position or somewhere in the background for awhile. Joshua trusted God and He came through, so I'd like to believe that if I trust God in the same way He will do the same for me.

Day 2 - January 15/09

Joshua 2

Joshua sends two spies into Jericho to scope out the land, and they stay in the home of Rahab. Instead of turning them over to the guards of the king, she sends them down the road with a false story of the men leaving the city. For saving them, the men promise Rahab and her family safety when the city is attacked. After they escape, they hide in the hills for three days and then return to Joshua to relate the story to him and give the good news that the land will surely be delivered into Israelite hands.

Rahab is willing to cooperate and save the spies because she has heard the stories of how incredible and powerful God is. She reveals the secret of how all Jericho is in terror before the great God of the Israelites, and requests that she be spared from destruction. It must have taken such courage for her to be able to send away the soldiers and protect the lives of strangers. It was only by God's grace that they were saved.

Even though it wasn't the popular choice, Rahab chose to go with God. Although it could have cost her dearly, she was still willing to lay it all on the line for the opportunity to save her family and live for the only One who could ever truly save her. I want to have that kind of faith and expectation. I want to expect great things of God because I too know the wondrous things He has done. With all the evidence that the Bible and my own life provide, shouldn't I be even more capable of making such a choice?

Day 1 - January 14/09

Joshua 1

Moses has just passed away, and Joshua is taking command of the Israelites in his stead. Verses two through nine are God giving Joshua a pep-talk on what it will take to lead the people. God first speaks of leading the Hebrews into the land of promise and taking it from those who currently occupy it. Joshua is then encouraged to have faith in God that He will not abandon Joshua, but will have his back and support him. The rest of the chapter is Joshua preparing the men to fight for the land, and commanding those tribes who have already settled to remain faithful to their word and help their brothers capture their land.

"Be strong and courageous..." is repeated by God three times within four verses, which must mean it's important. God is so wanting for Joshua to trust Him and rely on Him that He is telling him not even to go as far as to "tremble or be dismayed." That's hard! But God is giving this man a huge calling and asking for his trust. Then, at the end of the chapter when the Israelites are swearing their allegiance to Joshua, they say "only be strong and courageous" almost as a war chant or a reminder of how they are to act.

God is not speaking of human strength or mortal courage, but the might and fearlessness that come from trusting in an almighty Father who is guiding them and who they can rest in. That is where their strength comes from. In the face of seemingly impossible odds, the Israelites are being asked to fight for the land God is giving to them. It is in their undeniable weakness that God is able to show His strength; it is He who makes them strong and courageous.

Sometimes I feel as if there is no way I can go on anymore. I'm not facing mighty armies and the possibility of imminent death, but I still get so discouraged. God promises success when I "turn neither to the left or to the right" and says that he is with me wherever I go. If I look at this example of God coming through on His word, already knowing that He doesn't abandon Joshua, then I can trust that God will do the same for me. I know that even when I've screwed up bad in the past, I can still hear His voice and He doesn't abandon me. So whenever I become all dismayed and full of trembles, I can fall back on this passage and know that my strength comes from Someone who is bigger than any of my troubles could ever be.