Friday, January 15: Joshua 11: Diligence is required.

When history is condensed, it is easy for the reader to miss the toil and sacrifice necessary to accomplish some great feat. I have heard people say that once the Allies took the beach at Normandy, World War II was ostensibly over. The march to Germany was in sight and Germany never recovered from that loss. All that was left was to liberate Europe in route to Berlin. Historically that maybe true but condensing the European theater of World War II does not do justice to the time and sacrifice of hundreds of thousands soldiers who gave their lives to secure the ultimate victory for the Allies.

This chapter is a bit like my overly brief condensation of World War II. It details the outcome but not the sacrifice and strife to win it. Verse 18 provides one glimmer of the magnitude of what was described in this chapter, Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time. Those final 4 words say much.

There are few time markers in this portion of Joshua but don’t be fooled. Years passed. Remember the eastern Jordan (sometimes called the Transjordanian) Tribes? They left families and livestock unprotected until they returned. That’s sacrifice. And even the tribes that crossed the Jordan, where have all the families been living? Who has been tending the flocks while the men are away on this lengthy war campaign?

It is easy when reading highlights of God’s amazing faithfulness to get the wrong picture… that is was easy for Israel to follow the Lord. Rarely, if ever, so.

Following God faithfully takes sacrifice, diligence, determination, fortitude, stick-to-it-ness, vigilance, and constant obedience. Ask yourself how many times the Israeli soldiers needed to burn and destroy some piece of booty that would have looked great in their tent, yet God said totally destroy everything?

Living day to day with Jesus takes this same kind of determination and effort. Every day the Lord has things for me (you) to do. The job never seems to end. Obedience and diligence is constantly required, that is what the Lord spoke to my heart today as I spent time in His word. I have to be prepared to follow faithfully for a long time!

Jesus, give me strength to stay the course so that I arrive at Your final destination for me. Jesus, I am Yours. I swore allegiance to You decades ago and hopefully we have decades to go. Give me strength to follow You diligently. Amen.

 

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