June 20, 2020
What does it say?
Joshua gave the leaders of Israel final instructions. They were to continue driving out the inhabitants of the land and obey the laws given to them by Moses.
What does it mean?
Like Moses before him, Joshua wanted to make sure the people of Israel continued to follow God after his death. Once again, the Israelites were reminded of God’s past faithfulness and were urged to follow all of His commands. Their obedience and God’s blessing went hand in hand. Joshua laid out a compelling argument: if God had been faithful to keep His “good promises,” then He would also keep His promise to discipline His children for disobedience. God always keeps His Word. Joshua linked courage and obedience to watchful, diligent love for the Lord.
How should I respond?
With God’s blessing comes responsibility. God expects those who belong to Him to be different from the unbelieving world around them. Human tendency is to love the things of the world and to be like the world. What motivates you to intentionally obey God? As you experience God’s faithfulness, learn about God in the Bible, and spend time with Him in prayer, your love for Him grows. When you love someone, you want to please that person. The Spirit of God shows you what pleases Him and enables you to obey. In what area do you need courageous obedience to live in a way that acknowledges and honors God? God faithfully keeps His Word. He honors those who live to honor Him.