From Joshua 13:8-14:5

Israel started out as a single family.  Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, and his sons.  During a long famine, God provided for Jacob and his family by putting Joseph (one of his sons) into a position of great authority in Egypt.  As a result, the family moved to Egypt. Over the next few generations, the descendants of Jacob grew more and more numerous.  The Pharaoh of Egypt was concerned about this foreign people growing so rapidly within his borders, so he started treating them badly.  God stepped in and worked through Moses to lead His people out and towards the Promised Land.  I remind us of all this history to point out that Israel had been a single family and then they had been under the rule of Pharoah within the structure of Egypt. When they left, they had never been a nation before.  God gave them the Ten Commandment to help structure this new community and in these verses He helps them to establish themselves geographically.

All this goes to show us that God works even in mundane ways, using mundane things.  It shows us that God cares about the material things in this world. Sometimes we get caught up in this idea that spiritual things are good and physical things are bad, that God doesn’t care about our bodies or our homes or our possessions.  He created all of those things though, He created a physical world and operates with it.  We should be good stewards of the material things in our lives, making sure not to elevate them above where they should be, but taking care of them knowing that God’s plan includes such things.

Focus on God

We are reminded in these verses that God graciously uses physical, worldly things for the sake of His plan and people.

Function in Our Lives

We are encouraged to appropriately steward the material parts of our lives.

Topics to Pray About                                                               

  • Thank God for the material things He has given you in life.
  • Confess to God the times where you disregard or elevate material things inappropriately.
  • Ask God to use the material things around you to point to Him.

In His Service,

J. LeBorious