Rest

April 25

Joshua 13-14

Psalm 50:16-23

Proverbs 12:4-5

Luke 16:1-13

Rest

“Now these are the areas the Israelites received as an inheritance in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel allotted to them.  Then the land had rest from war.”  Joshua 14:1, 15b NIV

The Israelites had been wandering around in the desert for forty years.  They had been living on manna and quail and sleeping in tents.  Then they entered the promised land and had to go to war against the inhabitants of the land to obtain their inheritance.  It had been a long period of struggle for them.  Now it was time to divide up the land and rest.  This passage is very encouraging to me.  It gives me hope.  Ecclesiastes 3:1, 8 tells us “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under Heaven; a time for war and a time for peace.” (NIV) During difficult times, it is hard to believe that there will be a time for peace and rest again.  This is especially true when the struggle has lasted for a long time.  Satan wants to convince us that the pain will never end and there will never again be a time when we are happy, and things are going well.  He wants us to be discouraged and lose hope.   In those times it is important to focus on the promises God has given us in His Word.  It is crucial that we remember all the times He has been faithful to us in the past and rely on what we know about Him and His character.  He will not let us down.  “And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”  I Peter 5:10 (NIV)