What Can I Do For You

 DEVOTION

JOSHUA

WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU

Josh 15:1-19

15:1 The allotment for the tribe of Judah, clan by clan, extended down to the territory of Edom, to the Desert of Zin in the extreme south. 2 Their southern boundary started from the bay at the southern end of the Salt Sea,   3 crossed south of Scorpion Pass, continued on to Zin and went over to the south of Kadesh Barnea. Then it ran past Hezron up to Addar and curved around to Karka. 4 It then passed along to Azmon and joined the Wadi of Egypt, ending at the sea. This is their southern boundary. 5 The eastern boundary is the Salt Sea as far as the mouth of the Jordan. The northern boundary started from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan, 6 went up to Beth Hoglah and continued north of Beth Arabah to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. 7 The boundary then went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor and turned north to Gilgal, which faces the Pass of Adummim south of the gorge. It continued along to the waters of En Shemesh and came out at En Rogel. 8 Then it ran up the Valley of Ben Hinnom along the southern slope of the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem). From there it climbed to the top of the hill west of the Hinnom Valley at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim. 9 From the hilltop the boundary headed toward the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, came out at the towns of Mount Ephron and went down toward Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim). 10 Then it curved westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Kesalon), continued down to Beth Shemesh and crossed to Timnah. 11 It went to the northern slope of Ekron, turned toward Shikkeron, passed along to Mount Baalah and reached Jabneel. The boundary ended at the sea. 12 The western boundary is the coastline of the Great Sea. These are the boundaries around the people of Judah by their clans. 13 In accordance with the LORD's command to him, Joshua gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah-Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) 14 From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites-Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai — descendants of Anak. 15 From there he marched against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher). 16 And Caleb said, "I will give my daughter Acsah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher." 17 Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb's brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Acsah to him in marriage. 18 One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What can I do for you?" 19 She replied, "Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water." So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.

NIV

We are still in the middle of the distribution of land as was directed by Moses through the command of God. Although it is interesting to see how the land was set up and its boundaries listed, we would not think we could glean much truth from it. When we get to the situation with Caleb and his daughter, there is something we believe could be used as a lesson for our lives. The man who won the city Kiriath Sepher would have Caleb’s daughter in marriage, and it happened. When the daughter came to her father, she asked him for a favor. Caleb had already given her and her husband the land in Negev. She urged her husband to go to her father for a favor. When she arrived where her father was, he asked. “What can I do for you?”. This question and her reply, “Do me a special favor,” is where we find ourselves in this story. We have the privilege, because of Jesus, going through Jesus, to come to our Heavenly Father. Jesus told us that we could ask anything in his name, and he would do it. We wonder why we have difficulty asking for anything. Of course, our first desire is to ask for the will of our Father to be complete in our lives. We pray that many times, when we pray, “You will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” which means we are asking for God’s will to be done in our lives just as his will is always done in the heavenly realms. Who in heaven would go against the will of the Father? Once upon a time, one did with those he influenced, and they were all cast out of heaven for all eternity. We know there are people on this earth who refuse to accept Jesus, or for that matter, God as being real and his word being true. If they maintain their position against the will of God, they too will be cast out on that last day into the lake of burning sulfur for all eternity. However, we who accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior want God’s will in our lives; we want to submit our will to his. When we go to the Father, we can hear him ask, “What can I do for you?”. It is alright for us to ask for a special favor, although the Father has already done a special favor for us by sending Jesus to pay the price for our sins, redeeming those who accept that special favor, Jesus. Still, there is more of God’s will to be done in our lives. He is always in the process of transforming us into his likeness. He is continually shining his light on us so that we reflect his glory in ever-increasing glory. Yet, we still struggle with our will, wanting what we want when we want it. Would it not be best if we were to ask the Father what he wants for us and when he wants it? We just have to remember the Father is asking, “What can I do for you?”