From Joshua 5:10-12

The Israelites were busy. They were moving into the Promised Land, which by itself was a monumental shift.  They were transitioning from a nomadic existence to a much more stationary one.  If that weren’t significant enough, there was also warfare and conquest involved with that change.  Leadership had just transitioned from Moses to Joshua.  Israel had a lot going on, a lot to deal with.  But we still see them stop on the plains of Jericho, within reach of a hostile enemy, to celebrate Passover.  The commemorated the mighty works that God did to bring Israel out of Egypt, specifically when the angel of death passed over the homes of the Israelites.  Even with everything going on, the Israelites stopped to glorify God and remember the work He had done for them.  In this celebration, we learn that the Israelites “ate of the produce of the land.” And the next day, manna stopped appearing as a signal that God had finished bringing them through the wilderness and had now brought them into the Promised Land where they would be provided for by the land.

The people of Israel in the Old Testament aren’t always an example to follow.  Sometimes they actually give us an example of what not to do.  That being said, these verses are one of the places where Israel is living the way that God has called them to.  That means we can look to them as an example of how God expects His people to live as a community.  Even with everything that was going on in their lives, the Israelites still took time to intentionally reflect on what God had done for them. We can look at that example and mimic it in our own lives.  Busyness is something that most of us struggle with, and this can remind us that God calls us to take time to reflect on what He has done for us and glorify Him. That’s a big part of what we do together on Sunday mornings, we take time from the busyness of the week to glorify God and receive His gifts.  But we can also take time during the week, even just a few minutes before bed to pray and thank God for how He blessed you during the day.

Focus on God

We are reminded in these verses that God graciously does incredible things worth reflecting on for His people.

Function in Our Lives

We are encouraged to step away from the busyness of life to reflect on God’s gifts.

Topics to Pray About                                                               

• Thank God for the gifts He has blessed you with.
• Confess to God the times where you get caught up in the busyness of life.
• Ask God to open your eyes to His work in your life.

In His Service,

J. LeBorious