It's Yours for the Taking
Today’s Verse:
But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong. ~Joshua 17:18
What is the greatest offer you have ever been given? I remember one of my aunts enrolling me into a contest as a very young child. She told me that the winner of the contest would be allowed into the toy section of a major department store and, for 15 minutes, would be allowed to pick and take all the toys he wanted. I got very excited about the thought of all the toys I could pick and take. Then, she said, “It’s all yours for the taking.” This morning, we see an encouraging passage about exercising faith and how it’s all yours for the taking.
We see the desire.
“And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me hitherto?” The children of Joseph wanted more than they were already given. They were not being greedy per se, but they realized that the land given to them, in comparison to their population size, was not large enough. It’s important to exercise faith. The moment we stop exercising faith, we become complacent. We must be like Jabez and ask God to bless us indeed and enlarge our coast.
We see the directive.
“And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.” Joshua gave them a strong exhortation. He basically said, “Go for it!” He said, “Get thee up to the wood country.” “Get thee up” tells us to exercise faith, to pray for great and mighty things, and to go do it. Don’t be someone who just wishes about things, but also do something about it. Joshua knew that it would require effort, but he told them he had faith that they would accomplish the task. After you pray, be ready to do something bigger than you have ever done before.
We see the deficiency.
“And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.” The children of Joseph said that the Canaanites had chariots of iron. They felt inadequate and ill-equipped to take the hill country. When we are directed to exercise faith in God, we will see how weak, helpless, and inadequate we are. It is then, and only then, that we will realize how much we must depend upon God for help and strength.
We see the diligence.
“But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.” Joshua told them that they needed to be diligent and exercise effort. He told them that he knew the area was forested, but he said to cut it down. That’s what faith does: it cuts it down! It might be a lot of trees, but cut it down! It might be a lot of work, but cut it down. Then, he said, “Thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.” He basically told them, “You can do it, and you will do it.” “The mountain shall be thine” means that it’s yours for the taking! Is there something you need to do that God will bless? Then, do it! It’s all yours for the taking!
Have a diligent God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: 1 Chronicles 6-8