Tues.’s Devo - God is Faithful to His Promises

Read: Joshua 13:1-14:15; Luke 18:1-17; Psalm 85:21-13; Proverbs 13:7-8 Joshua was old and there was still much land to be conquered south in Judah’s land toward Egypt. It was Philistine territory at the time. God said that he would drive these people out himself and include all this territory as Israel’s possession. *** Moses had driven out the land east of the Jordan that was now the inheritance of Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh. The Levites’ inheritance was the sacrifices of the Lord so they got no designated land. They did get designated cities within all the tribes. *** Moses assigned the boundaries of the tribe of Reuben adding that they killed Balaam son of Bear, who used magic to tell the future. He was the one Balak had hired to curse Israel but God would only let him bless them instead. *** Moses also assigned the boundaries of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. The rest of the tribes received their allotments by Eleazar the priest, Joshua and the tribal leaders. They were chosen by sacred lots commanded by the Lord. *** Caleb came and reminded Joshua of how they were the only spies who brought back the good report about the land. All the other people of their generation had died in the wilderness but Caleb was 85 and still as strong as he was when he was a warrior at 40. Caleb had been promised the land he had spied out by Moses, so Joshua honored that promise and gave him the land of Hebron which had been called Kiriath-arba then. Caleb was from the tribe of Judah. *** The land had rest from war. Their fighting days were over and they could now enjoy the land God had given them. *** In Luke, Jesus gave them a parable to encourage them not to give up praying because God will answer their prayer in time. The parable was about a judge who didn’t fear God. A woman came to him day after day about an injustice done to her. She wore the judge down until he finally gave her the justice she sought. *** We have a loving God who loves justice so how much more will he avenge us against our enemies if we persevere and keep praying. *** Then Jesus gave a parable to those who trusted in themselves and their own righteousness yet they despised others. The first character was a Pharisee who thanked God he was not like the lowly sinner. He boasted of all he did to prove his righteousness. The other character in the story was a tax-collector who knew he was a sinner but cried out to God for mercy. Jesus said that the tax-collector would be justified above the Pharisee because whoever exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted. *** The people brought their infants to him so he might bless them. The disciples rebuked the parents, but Jesus rebuked them and said to let the children come to them because the kingdom of God is made up of those like them. We must receive the kingdom of God like a little child to be able to enter it. *** Lord, may we be like little children, full of faith and wide-eyed wonder. May our hearts be innocent and pure and may we humble ourselves before you.