Reflection:
In today’s verse, God reminds Joshua that He is “giving” the land to Israel. This land had already been promised to Abraham centuries earlier, had been described in detail to Moses, and was now being given to the people. Yet there’s a crucial distinction between God giving the land and Israel possessing it.
The land was given by grace, but it would be possessed through faith-filled obedience. God would deliver on His promise, but the people would need to step forward in courageous action to claim what was already theirs. Throughout the book of Joshua, we see this pattern: God gives, Israel acts, and the promise becomes reality.
This same principle applies to the promises we have in Christ. Ephesians 1:3 tells us that God “has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.” Note the past tense, these blessings have already been given to us. Yet many Christians live far below their privileges, never fully possessing what God has already given.
Perhaps you’ve received the promise of peace but continue to live anxiously. Maybe you’ve received the promise of freedom from sin’s power but still struggle with habitual sin. You may have received the promise of God’s presence, but often feel alone. The gap between receiving and possessing is where faith and obedience come in.
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