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06Jos011.mp3
Commentary
There is a familiar pattern from the beginning to here, and throughout the entire written Word of God. This same pattern is present with us even today. God does allow the weeds to grow among the wheat. Logically speaking, if we set out to remove the weeds while the young wheat isn't yet in harvest, we would destroy more of the good wheat than the weeds would. There is good news, though (isn't there always?). The wheat must grow fast and strong, and must have a solid root system so that it can overcome the weeds and live for the harvest. That ugly, destructive weed patch can only prove to strengthen the wheat.
Similar to that example above, the Israelites did have to leave a few of the cities intact until such a time that they were great enough in numbers to possess it. This was not because they might have been defeated.... God never fails. This was so that the heathen nations could continue to care for and maintain the land, all the while thinking whatever they think. Maybe some of them thought God's chosen people were afraid of them... maybe. Maybe the heathen nations were living in stoic fear, day and night. Whatever the case, God said and the People did. God led Joshua with specific instructions. These specific instructions did very from day to day, moment by moment, situation by situation. I personally believe that God did not instruct the same for every situation specifically (but not entirely) because we are creatures of habit. God does not and will not want us to serve Him out of "habit". Such a condition would then be defined as "religion".
If we, God's chosen people, serve Him fresh and new daily, we will have to think on these things, to plan, to obey specifically. If we set a pattern to our walk with God, it will quickly become "auto-pilot" and the heart isn't in it at all. All of this is very relevant to the chapter here. Some of us are at a place where we go forward thinking, "I know what God wants me to do, because He has done it many times before". Don't go forward just because you have a familiarity with the way of God. His way is not our way. His will is not our will. We must search Him fresh and new, day by day, hour by hour, continually and without ceasing. This is the one and only way to truly love God and serve Him.
Thank you Jesus, for Your Word. I ask that you bless me as I receive Your Word. Instill in me the Living Word and the ability to illuminate Your Word in my active life. Allow others to see Your Word in me. Help me to accurately apply Your Word to my life and to recall and share it accurately, with practical, applicable depth. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.
Your brother in Jesus,
