As Asked For

 DEVOTION

JOSHUA

AS ASKED FOR

Josh 19:40-51

40 The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan, clan by clan. 41 The territory of their inheritance included: Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, 42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, 43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 45 Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, 46 Me Jarkon and Rakkon, with the area facing Joppa. 47(But the Danites had difficulty taking possession of their territory, so they went up and attacked Leshem, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it. They settled in Leshem and named it Dan after their forefather.) 48 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Dan, clan by clan. 49 When they had finished dividing the land into its allotted portions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them, 50 as the LORD had commanded. They gave him the town he asked for — Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he built up the town and settled there. 51 These are the territories that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. And so they finished dividing the land.

NIV

The last tribe to be chosen by lot in the presence of the Lord was Dan. Interestingly, the Tribe of Dan had coastline including the city of Joppa, the town Jonah ran to as he was running from the Lord. At Joppa, he boarded a ship for Tarnish. One of the more renowned accounts in Joppa is when Peter raised Tabitha from the dead. However, we have two stories we need to ponder. The first is about the city of Joppa in Dan's territory. It is when Jonah ran away from the LORD, at least he thought he was able to run away from the LORD, who had placed a call upon Jonah to go to Nineveh. How is it possible to run away from the Lord? Yet, it is true that those who refuse to accept Jesus as the Son of God, as God, are in some sense just running away from the truth, and that truth is Jesus. However, as Christians, do we ever try to run away from the Lord, that is, run from the calling he has placed upon our lives? When we are so invested in our own desires or plans for our lives, are we, in essence, running away from the plan God has for our lives? There may even be times when we use the Lord as an excuse for doing something or going somewhere. We recall, years ago, a young man told us that God told him to move to a certain city. a month later, he was back, and told us God told him to move back, then God told him to move, and he moved and then God told him to move back again. We were confused that God changed his mind so often regarding this young man. Then, we have known some who have served the Lord but decided to retire, and we wondered how they retired from doing that which God had called them to do. We have known pastors who have planned for their retirement, putting aside funds so to sit back, relax, and enjoy life. Is it not God’s call to be lifelong? Maybe not, but we just wonder. The second truth comes from when Joshua was given the city he asked in the hill country of Ephraim, for as an inheritance. After all Joshua did for the Lord, following the calling the LORD had placed upon him, leading the Israelites across the Jordan and taking the land as it was their promised land, he only wanted one city as an inheritance. We would have thought such a leader as Joshua would have wanted a territory, but he only wanted a city. Did Joshua retire when he arrived at his inheritance? As we continue through the end of this book of the story of Joshua, we find he commanded the Israelites to the end of his life. However, the story is that Joshua received that which he asked for. We have been given the right to ask for anything as Jesus promised we could, and he would do it. However, we also think, if we use Joshua as an example, that there might be some conditions on asking and receiving. One condition just might be that we are totally sold out for and to Jesus, doing all that he asks us to do, following his call upon us wholeheartedly, without reservation or self-interest. Of course, our greatest inheritance is eternal life, which could mean this life is just practice for the life to come. Still, we think we need to always be cognizant of God’s will for our lives, following his leadership, doing that will until our last breath. Then, we think God will give us what we ask for. But if we just confess Jesus is Lord, we will be saved, but if we spend most of our lives pursuing our own interests, we wonder if we will receive anything we ask for. Then, look at Joshua, doing everything God asked him to, and all he asked for was one city in the presence of the LORD. All we really want is to live in one city, the city of God, and that we will get just as we asked for.