Categories: Bible Lessons Leave a comment

Daily Reading: June 28th

#DailyDevotion Are You Prepared To Follow Joshua Into The Holy Land?

June 28

Josh 3:1–17

Jos 3:5-7  Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”  (6)  And Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.  (7)  The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.

 

After three days the text said the Lord came to Joshua and said he would exalt him before the people that they would know the Lord was with him just as he was with Moses. And on the fourth day, the Israelites crossed the Jordan river on dry ground with the waters in a heap up the river. Just as the priest went into the water with the ark the river stopped. By this sign Joshua was exalted among the people. To tell you the truth, I think they listened to him better than they ever did Moses, though he had his problems with the Israelites as well. The Lord God was fulfilling his promise to bring them to the land he promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

 

Now there is another Joshua. We know him by the name of Jesus. After three days he was raised from the dead. On the fortieth day after his resurrection he was exalted to the right hand of God. He has ascended to prepare a place for us: new promised land. In this land righteousness will reign. There will be no more death and no more sorrow. Weeping will flee. Sin will be no more. There will be no more need of the sun or the moon because Jesus and his glory is our light.

 

This land he has promised to all who are repentant of their sins and trust Jesus has won salvation for them. He offers it as a free gift to all. But not all accept his gift. Many prefer to live their lives their own way. The wealth of this world has deceived them and the pleasures of this world keep them captive. Since they cannot see the new Promised Land they do not believe it exists or will be given to them freely by his grace. They do not believe the Lord fulfilled his promises to the Israelites so like the unbelieving Israelites they murmur and complain against their maker and look to his enemy for every good thing in this life that is transitory.

 

So what about you? Will you confess your sins; admit your faults to God? Will you desire and begin to turn away from your iniquity and your fleshly desires and trust the good news of the free gift of eternal life? The invitation has been sent. The place has been prepared. All that is left is for the living ark, our Lord Jesus Christ, to stand in the Jordan of our life to dry it up, so we may cross over to the other side. Are you crossing over in faith or are you going to stay in the wilderness of sin?

 

Heavenly Father, you have exalted Jesus, our Joshua to your right hand with all power, authority and dominion over all creation. Grant us faith to repent and believe that we may join him in the land he has prepared for us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Share this post
Rev. Guillaume J. S. Williams, Sr.

The Reverend Guillaume Williams is the Pastor of Hope Lutheran Chapel of Osage Beach, Missouri. His pastoral ministry with Hope began in 2005 where he preaches the Christ crucified.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *