March 30

Joshua 22:1-24:33

We have reached the end of the book of Joshua and the end of Joshua's life. In a powerful speech, Joshua leaves the eastern tribes with the most important message they could hear—love God. This is reiterated by Jesus as the most important command, to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. We need to put this truth in front of ourselves every day and ask, “Am I loving God with all of myself?”

Think of how encompassing this idea is. We are to love God with our bodies, with our thoughts, with our money, with our time, and with every other part of our lives. There is not a single aspect of our lives where we can set God to the side. Joshua's second speech in our reading reiterates the same idea. He calls the rest of Israel to remember, obey, and hold fast to God. The speeches are commanding, and their effect is clear in the short term, but as we see from the end of the book, there is no one to lead after Joshua. Moses handpicked Joshua, Joshua handpicked no one, and the whole nation suffered for it (as we will read in Judges over the next week). Our words are important, but our leadership and actions are even more critical. So let us not love (or lead) with merely words or speech, but in actions and in truth.

Father God, help me to love you and lead others to you today. Help me to not just love with my words but with all of my life. Help me to share you with those in my life to hopefully raise up the next generation of believers. Amen. 

Who are you pouring into spiritually so when you are gone others will carry on your spiritual legacy?

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