January 21- Joshua 22:1-9
January 21- Joshua 22:1-9
22 At that
time Joshua summoned the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of
Manasseh, 2 and said to them,
“You have kept all that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you and have obeyed my voice in all that I have
commanded you. 3 You have
not forsaken your brothers these many days, down to this day, but have been
careful to keep the charge of the Lord your
God. 4 And now the Lord your God has given rest to your brothers, as he promised them.
Therefore turn and go to your tents in the land where your possession
lies, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave
you on the other side of the Jordan. 5 Only
be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant
of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his
commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with
all your soul.” 6 So
Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.
7 Now to
the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in
Bashan, but to the other half Joshua had given a possession beside their
brothers in the land west of the Jordan. And when Joshua sent them away to
their homes and blessed them, 8 he said to them,
“Go back to your tents with much wealth and with very much livestock, with
silver, gold, bronze, and iron, and with much clothing. Divide the spoil
of your enemies with your brothers.” 9 So
the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh
returned home, parting from the people of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the
land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, their own land of which they
had possessed themselves by command of the Lord through
Moses.
Here we see once again what obedience to God looks like and how he
recognized this obedience. The tribes that possessed the land on the other side
of the Jordan were sent home with wealth. Joshua had further instructions for
them. Upon their arrival on the other side of the Jordan they were to divide
the spoils among the tribes. He also reminded them in verse 5:
“Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that
Moses the servant of the Lord commanded
you, to love the Lord your
God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to
him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
He knew the Israelites would struggle. I often find myself in a
struggle and have to ask forgiveness for my wandering ways. Is this something
you struggle with as well? Ask God to forgive you of your sins and draw you
back to Him. He loves you and wants to commune with you.
Heavenly Father, You are so forgiving. I read about the children of Israel promising
obedience and then falling over and over again.
How many times we see them turn their backs on You after all You have
done for them? How many times have I
turned my back on You after all You have done for me? I know You forgive over and over, but I have
to be honest that I don’t understand how You can. That is love that is beyond what I can
understand. When someone has hurt us over
and over again, we tend to back away and at the least decide to have nothing
more to do with the one who hurt us, but You never give up on us…You never give
up on me. Thank You for a love that is
beyond understanding, but worth giving my life for. May my life be lived to reflect the love I
cannot understand to show others the way to that love.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen!
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