When It Is Our Own Fault

Joshua 18:3-5a

"Mom! I'm bored!" Can't you just hear that whiny voice letting everyone know that the child has nothing to do? Mom will usually say, "Why don't you play with your ball?" to which the child says, "I don't want to play with my ball." Then my will ask, "Why don't you read a book?" The child replies, "I don't want to read a book". Then mom will ask, "Well why don't you go swing with your sister?" and the kid, not believing mom's audacity, whines, "I don't want to swing with my sister!"

Just like a little kid, many times we find ourselves in a mess of our own making and its simply because we do not want to do that which is required to change our circumstances. That is what we will consider today in our devotion. Joshua had done his part, but the Israelites were missing out because they didn't finish the work. They were missing out and they had no one to blame but themselves.

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Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers has given you? 4 Pick out from among you three men for each tribe, and I will send them; they shall rise and go through the land, survey it according to their inheritance, and come back to me. 5 And they shall divide it into seven parts...

Joshua 18:3–5a

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Joshua and the armies of Israel had defeated most of their enemies. There were a few strongholds that remained, but even these were having to work for and pay tribute to Israel. The land was theirs. Two and a half tribes hand their land on the east side of the Jordan. Judah, Ephraim, and the other half of the tribe of Manasseh had claimed their land on the west side of the Jordan. However, as Joshua looked around, the other seven tribes were just sitting around in their tents at the military camp.

While the Bible does not say this, can't you just hear someone complaining, "Why do they get their land and we are still stuck in our tents?" Whatever the reason, Joshua looked at the people just sitting around and asked them the question, "How long are you going to sit around and not claim your inheritance?" Let that sink in just a moment. The fighting was done. The victory was won. The only thing that remained was to claim that which was theirs and they were sitting around in tents like they were still in the wilderness.

I wonder how many times God wants to ask us the same question. "Justin, why are you moping around and worrying about (fill in the blank)? You have victory in my Son. Go live like it". There are so many promises in God's word that we ignore and we live in a spiritual wilderness because we won't go and lay claim to our inheritance that Christ won for us. I'm not talking about "name it and claim it" theology. I am talking about fruits of the Spirit. I am talking about the peace that passes all understanding. I am talking about boldness to stand firm against our enemy. I am talking about wisdom to better understand God's word. I could go on and on, but you get the picture.

James wrote, "You have not because you ask not" and this is true, but many times it is that we have not because we are not even trying. So, what are we going to do about it? The Israelites did go and claim their land after being prompted by Joshua. They decided that it was time to go live within the promise of God. What promise from God is it time for you to live in?

Father, there are many promises in Your word that we often neglect. We wonder why life is so difficult, but we are still sitting around in a spiritual wilderness, rather than living in Your promises. Help us to heed the prompting of Your spirit to live in those promises.