Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Making of the Faithful

Joshua 24:1-14

Alwin Abraham

Chicago MTC, Illinois
13 I gave you a land on which you had not labored, and towns that you had not built, and you live in them; you eat the fruit of vineyards and oliveyards that you did not plant.14 “Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness;

God was with the Israelites from the beginning and in this portion we see that the Israelites have now entered the promised land and God has been providing them with many more wonders. When the Israelites were slaves to the Egyptians, God delivered them from the bondage of slavery. On the journey to the promised land, God provided the Israelites with food, water, shelter and shade. When the Egyptians came close to the Israelites, God protected the Israelites and split the Red Sea for them to pass but not the Egyptians.  

In this passage we see the history of the Israelites starting from Abraham all the way to the present Israelite situation. From verses 8-12, we can see what God has done for the Israelites after they had entered the promised land. With the war against the Amorites, God took control of the fight and handed the enemy and their land to God’s people. When Moab was ready to fight the Israelites, God protected them from the enemy. When the Israelites entered Jericho, the many different citizens of the land fought against the Israelites but God delivered them. God drove the enemy out of the land, and the Israelites did not do it by their own might but by the strength of the God.
 
Not just through the wartimes did God provide for the Israelites, but He also gave the people the necessities they need. God showered many blessings upon the Israelites, even though they did not serve Him faithfully. They worshiped other gods and turned away from God despite seeing all these miracles. Joshua is calling on the Israelites to choose whether they want to serve the God who saved them from all these challenges and blessed them abundantly or the other gods their ancestors had worshipped in Egypt.

This raises the question; are we like the Israelites? God has showered many blessing upon us, from a loving family, to a home to live in and many other countless blessings. Do we remember where they are from or do we take them for granted? God has given us so many countless blessings, so we must be faithful and thankful to Him and serve Him in every way we can.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, please open our eyes to see the countless blessings You have showered upon us. We take them for granted but we pray that we may be faithful to You and be able to understand that everything we have is because of You. Amen

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
  “Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!
(Thomas Chisholm, 1925)

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