Bible In One Year-Day 92 (Wednesday, April 02, 2014)

Commentary: Joshua13-15. A while ago, I received a post on the facebook which talked about enjoying the coffee in the cup rather than thinking about the design on the cup. A man commented on it “I am 76 years old now, I wish I knew this when I was 25”. Whichever way he meant to enjoy life does not matter to me, but when I looked at the difference in the years, he is regretting the way he spent 51 years out of his own life. When you hear many people telling you “I have experience of life” it is not really experience they have, it is regret in life just like this man on the facebook commented. Moses would have lived such a life if not for God’s grace that eventually called him out of purposeless hard-work and plugged him into the power of purpose.

Joshua13:1 is worth thinking of;

Joshua 13:1 “Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.”

The question is “how are you spending your life as a Christian?” How will you feel if, at old age, God tells you that there are more to be done than you have ever done? This is why the Apostles, then and now, have no time to waste fighting or keeping malice because they have a lot to do. If God increases the hours of the day from 24 to 48, will it still be enough? Hear what Jesus says in John 9:4 “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.”

Every man has two moments of the day; the day while the Sun shines (youth) and the night (old age), which is time to go to sleep. That is why the bible calls the death of the righteous “sleep”. Joshua found himself in this situation. God showed Joshua what remained to cover. Unfortunately, the first place mentioned became the problem of the Israelites till this day. When you see a man living in regret, all it means is that he had left what ought to be done undone and had used his time to do what ought to be left undone. In this wise, there is no profit, reward or compensation. This is hard. What needs considering is to make hay whilst the sun shines. Jesus urged us to make use of the day. If the dairy you have is the dairy of offenses, bitter, malice, rivalry, jealousy, resentment, pleasing men, seeking for positions, unforgiveness and the like, it is absolutely a waste of time. These will not add any meaning to life; either yours or those who have offended you. Neither does it keep the devil away. The only thing that defeats the devil is to burn such dairies. Jesus said on the cross “Father forgive them …” Even Jesus didn’t want to hold any grudge against any person for Him to complete His assignment in life. This statement broke the backbone of Satan’s rage against the Kingdom of God. Without any contradiction, Joshua was hard working; he served Moses and he served God with fear. A Christian life is about service just like Joshua. God gives greatness in this wise;

Matthew 20:26 “But it shall not be so among you: but whoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;”

You must touch a life each day. Whatever you know how to do best to affect life is a pointer to purpose. When you face it without any distraction, you will realize that there is work to do and at the end of it all, you will be full of joy. On the other hand, loosing focus will build resentment, envy and jealousy, which are strongholds for the devil. There are lots of beautiful structures called religious houses now but inside is full of decay. Whereas some people don’t have churches but are meeting the needs of the poor on the street by becoming dogs leaking the wounds of various Lazarus lying about on the streets. In Galatian2, we could see Paul’s attitude when he realized that if he didn’t get out for the assignment, the people he was associating with (un-appointed regulators, Gal2:4) would disturb and distract him, he pulled out;

Galatians 2:6 “But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:”

Positions could be given due to earthly relationship with authority or how long in you are in a ministry. This is different from heavenly relationship which is what Paul is arguing here. He said those with leadership reputation added nothing to him. His heavenly relationship added life to mankind. Moses and Joshua had heavenly relationship; they worked and built the kingdom of God and not of man. Kingdom work is about heavenly relationship. Would you assess yourself and see where you are in God’s agenda? Each time you check your head and see a tuft of grey hair, instead of shaving or dyeing it, ask God “where am I in your agenda?” A night will soon come when no man can work. Our reading for today is Joshua16-18. Keep the fire burning and alive.