Saturday, March 23, 2013


DAY 82
PROMISES KEPT
Joshua 13, 14 & 15 and Luke 1:57-80
The readings from Joshua are rather long and seemingly a bit tedious. They contain many names and much detail regarding which tribe of Israel will get what portion of the Land. Whenever I come across God devoting that kind of space to something in the Bible I tend to “lean into” it and ponder just why it is so important.
The dividing up of the Promised Land is God taking the next step in fulfilling His Promise. It is not that Joshua has secured this land. In fact he is getting old, and God says that He, God, will do it. He also instructs them to divide the land as an inheritance. It is a little like knowing what you parents “last will and testament” says while they are still alive. Caleb even points out that he had been promised a “bit” and God grants it.
I sense the reason God is doing this, and the reason so much space is devoted to it in Scripture, is to bear witness to God’s faithfulness – God keeps His promises. In this case the Promise of giving them the land and establishing them as His People.
The same principle is at work in the New Testament, and in reality it is the continuation of God’s Promise, God’s Covenant. God is determined to restore humankind unto Himself – to have us be His people. He will do whatever it takes; even His sending His Son to earth. I am not sure if you celebrate what the Church calls Holy Week. We start it Sunday with “Palm Sunday: The Sunday of the Passion”. It is the week where we, through our church services (our liturgies) re-enter the climax of God’s plan – the death and resurrection of His Son. We do this to plant deeply in ourselves the knowledge of God’s faithfulness. We do this in order to worship Him.
Zechariah knows that at the birth of his son, John the Baptist, that they are beginning something remarkable and so he cries out: “Blessed by the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people…” (Luke 1:68). Zechariah knew the story. He knew that someday God would send the Messiah.
God is still in the business of keeping His Promises for He is faithful. What are his promises? You have been reading them these past 82 days. Still it can be helpful to have a list! You can “Google “God’s Promises”” and you will get all sorts of list. Here is one link that is pretty good. It is from a blog site named “Sticky Jesus” – I love that.
The point of today’s readings is not only that God is faithful, but that those who were following him knew it, and counted on it. The knowledge and belief in God’s faithfulness led Caleb to bring up what he had been promised, and it led Zechariah to cry out in praise. That is a good lesson for me – to make sure I plant God’s promises deeply inside me – to always have them as a source of strength.

1 comment:

  1. I trust that you are not giving a quiz on villages and towns.

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