Promise fulfilled

We know that life is created, grows older and then dies. The truth of this inevitable fact is probably the most feared thing in our universe today. Even the stars that populate our galaxies, as they swirl around a single point in space are born, grow older and then burn out. All human beings at some point in their childhood become aware that their bodies will grow older and ultimately die. I wonder if all life, in all of its forms, is self aware. I feel a bit like a small child asking his Eternal Father “Will my spirit continue to be self aware even after my physical body ceases to function?”

As we continue our march through the book of Joshua and his conquest of Canaan, we have to stop and look at what many of us remember from Sunday school as Joshua’s longest day.  Now, nobody knows exactly what happened that day as far as the sun, moon and earth’s motions go but what we do know is that God gave Joshua the victory! I have to admit that even as an ordained minister from time to time I can question my faith. Questions about God, His creation, miracles and the milestones He has helped me overcome can surface and cause me to stumble. Don’t worry if you question your faith from time to time even Thomas, one of Jesus’ disciples doubted that He returned from death.

It’s in these times of doubt, when I have learned to wait on God for reassurance, as He takes me by the hand and walks with me through my doubt. Never is He critical of my lack of faith but gently nudges me on, step by step, through my darkest journeys. Our memories are often so short as we fail to remember the times in our lives when God choreographs some situation to answer our life requests. Moment by moment as God reminds me who He is, I begin to remember His greatness and how He created everything I see around me. Even the smallest revealed details of design point to the fingerprints of our Creator. And while I might stumble a bit, when I think about the earth slowing down its rotation or meteorites falling on Israel’s enemies with pinpoint accuracy, I still come back to face the inevitable fact that “With God all things are possible”

Back in the book of Genesis 15:1-21  we revisit the covenant or contract God announced to Abraham. In verse 7 we read “I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it”. Abraham goes on to ask the Lord “How will I know that I will inherit it?” to which God makes this elaborate covenant with Him which includes the shedding of blood through animal sacrifice. Remember back to the garden of Eden and the tunics of skin God provided for Adam and Eve. It’s the idea that our sin will cost us something.

Then in Genesis 17:5-8 God lays out the prophecy that Joshua fulfills as he completely and utterly conquers Canaan “I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I will give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

It might seem unfair to the inhabitants of Canaan that God would promise this land to the Israelites and then command Joshua to utterly destroy every man woman and child until you study their religious practices that included child sacrifice and their worship of the sun, moon and stars. God was introducing Himself to the world and laying the groundwork for the great work of salvation through His Son.

It’s not for us to know and understand the infinite workings of all mighty God, after all He is the Potter and we are the clay. However, it is possible to know that He delivers on His promises. In the book of John 14:1-6 Jesus lovingly reassures his disciples as well as all of us “Let not your hearts be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”