Thoughts on Joshua 18

Today’s reading: Joshua 18; Acts 6

I have never really thought too much about it before, but Joshua’s words to the seven tribes at the beginning on Joshua 18 this morning got me thinking, what have those tribes been doing?

When Joshua speaks to them, he doesn’t say, “Alright, good job helping Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh claim their inheritance, let’s all head north and grab yours!” Instead, the way he addresses them makes it clear that, while they should have already been moving on the land, they haven’t been. If they had been helping other tribes take their land, I don’t think Joshua would have said it like he did, which makes me think they were probably just content to hang out in their tents in the new land.

While this is admittedly conjecture, I think it makes a lot of sense. Many of these people have literally never known life in a house. They have spent the last 40 years as a nation wandering the wilderness, living in tents, moving from place to place. So to be in a new, lush territory that God has given them, with ample land to graze their flocks and farms planted by the previous inhabitants, what is the need to go up from their camp? They are more settled and comfortable than they have been for over 40 years, and to go claim a chunk of this promised land for their tribe means some amount of warfare which is hard and scary. Why take te risk?

It is easy to look at them and wonder, “How could they come this far, get this close, and settle for less than what God has said He is going to give them? Why would they continue to live in tents when they could march north and live in cities they didn’t build with farms they didn’t plant??” But isn’t that so often our own experience? How many people place their faith in Christ and then sit back, relax, and continue to live their life largely like they did before, just with knowing they will go to heaven when they die? How many Christians go to church regularly, and maybe even hang out with a small-group on occasion, but are otherwise content with their lives and character untouched?

Much more often than we would like to think, we live our Christian lives like these seven tribes in Joshua 18. We have spent so much of our lives living one way, and we have grown comfortable and complacent in that lifestyle. So then when God comes along and offers us something so much better we take a step or two toward that better and are content to stop. We entered the promised land and don’t have to wander anymore. Great! Done! Why put in more effort? Is living in a house really that much better than a tent anyway? I know God has promised to deliver those cities into our hands, but if I’m comfortable here, why take the risk?

Why take the risk? Because with God, the risk is always worth it. When God says He has something better for us, He means it, and what He is offering is always so much better than we can see from our comfortable complacency in the life we are living now. God is not the cosmic kill-joy who wants to sap all the fun out of life, He is our creator who designed us and knows infinitely better than we do what will be most fulfilling and bring us most joy; He is our loving Father who delights to give good gifts to His children; and He is all knowing and all powerful, so what He says He will do for us, He is able to do.

Where in your life have you been content to dwell in the camp rather than take the risk of moving into the city God has for you? What sin have you been clutching on to because you just don’t see how going God’s way is really going to be better? What step of faith have you been unwilling to take because you are comfortable with your life as it is now and you don’t know whether it will be better or worse if you follow after what He has put in front of you?

Take a minute this morning and ask God these questions. Maybe something immediately came to mind and you don’t even need to ask Him, and if that’s the case, then let today be the day you start to take down camp and head for the city! Otherwise, sit before Him for a minute or two and let Him show you where you are settling for less than the fullness of the life He has prepared for you.

Let’s not be content with less than everything He wants to give us!