Joshua is about action.
His name means ‘the Lord is Salvation’ or more accurately ‘Jehovah is Salvation’.
He was a military man – a mighty warrior – but also a prophet waiting on every word the Lord spoke unto him.
His job was to lead the Jewish nation of Israel back to their homeland – to the Promised Land. His job was to reclaim that which they had lost at the hands of their enemies, to take what the Lord had given them.
The author of Hebrews writes:
Hebrews 4:9-11: (KJV)
9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Rest is defined in the Webster’s Dictionary as:
A state of quiet or repose; a cessation from motion or labor; tranquillity; as, rest from mental exertion; rest of body or mind.
In Psalm 95 David speaks regarding the day of provocation in which Israel tempted God and saw His works for 40 years – and he also states – ‘if you hear His voice today, do not harden your hearts’, and this is an indication that there is hope. We can move into the rest of God – the rest of God being a cessation (an end) of our own works, of our own will, a state of quiet and response to the will of God.
Christ comes and calls us to move into the promise of restoration and salvation – the promise of a new life with God – He invites us into His rest and gives us His Spirit, our guide, our comforter and our teacher, so that we can find our rest, in His.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary states that this rest of God isn’t a Sabbath like rest, but rather a state of blessedness, and this corresponds with verse 11 where the author states – let us labor to enter into that rest!
That is exactly what Joshua did. He marched across the Jordan with absolute assurance that his God was with him – that he would not face these enemies alone. He had the faith, but now he had to react.
He made his way across the Jordan and gave himself as a living sacrifice to God, saying – Lord, have Your way in and through me.
He said, Lord, let Your will be done. Me and my house will serve You.
Surrender. He surrendered unto God, gave it all – his mind, his mouth, his heart, his physical self – everything was laid at His feet, before the throne of the Lord of Hosts.
Let us work to attain that state of blessed dependence upon God, let us work and strive for righteousness, hunger and thirst for His ways so that we can move into His rest!
Let us seek the true will of God, let us labor to have that assurance that what every step we take has been ordained by God, that we are fully and completely on His straight and narrow way.
If rest means the cessation of our works, our own works, it also means the start of His work in us.
Ceasing our labor (once we are in Him) allows Him to work in us.
This is another of those rather elusive key concepts we don’t always think about.
Absolute surrender.
If you want to be a success story in the Kingdom of God, stop writing your own story and let Him finish it. Cease your works and let Him work through you.
In Hebrews 4:11: we read:
16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Let us seek God with all boldness, just as He commanded Joshua – without fear.
Take action – surrender to Him.
Reflect:
1. What would it look like if you were surrendered to the call of God on your life? Where might it lead? What sacrifices would you have to make? What is hindering you – what obstacles are there between you and surrender to God?
2. Our labor (work) is to enter the rest of God – a place where our work stops and His work starts – what does this mean to you? How do we get to that place of absolute surrender?
3. What steps can you take today to step into the will of God for your life? What is the next step you have to take?
Prayer: Lord, You are the One who turns oceans into highways – You flatten the walls of the enemy to make the way straight before me – You move mountains to give me clear passage. I pray that You will show me the desires that I have put above You, that You will show me, through Your Spirit, the doubts and fears holding me back – and that You will help me give them to You. Remove these obstacles, oh Lord, and help me surrender all I have and all I am to You and Your Will for my life. In Jesus Name. Amen.