When the Israelites marched into the Promised Land, God promised them victory. He told them that He would be with them at every turn. They started by conquering the land of Gilead, where two Amorite kings named Sihon and Og ruled. Israel defeated them quickly, and it made a fantastic impression on all the people who lived there. One of the natives said their victory over the Amorites "made their hearts melt and their courage fail".
The walls of Jericho fell.
They defeated an alliance of Southern kings.
They swept through an alliance of Northern kings.
85 year old Caleb conquered a city of giants - trusting God for strength.
And God delivered. Again, and again, and again.
Joshua 21:43-45 says, "So the Lord gave the people all the land he had promised their ancestors. The people took the land and lived there. The Lord gave them peace on all sides, as he had promised their ancestors. None of their enemies defeated them; the Lord handed all their enemies over to them. He kept every promise that he had made to the Israelites; each one came true."
Look at the first part of that verse again... I think the phrasing is interesting. I underlined it and made it bold. God gave the land... the people took the land. I believe that the author is saying that the Promise was only fulfilled when the people took action. It's a sure thing, but you have to do the work.
This was the same arrangement Adam and Eve had in the Garden of Eden. They were told to work the land, but that their work would always be productive. When they sinned, they are cursed with work that doesn't always produce. Thorns and thistles were the result of sin, but work was always part of the plan. God will give his people victory, but they still have to move forward.
So it was with the Israelites. God kept every promise. If they moved forward, he would give victory. Now, if you read through the book of Joshua, you find that the Israelites didn't always move forward. Sometimes they refused to keep fighting. Sometimes they were too afraid of the obstacles. God doesn't punish them for it... other than the punishment of unfulfilled destiny. There were blessings to be had that the Israelites never received.
That was my Old Testament reading.
Then, in the New Testament, I read about the church in Corinth. They were fighting about their rights. Some believed that it was morally inappropriate to buy groceries from idol temples... all the profits were subsidizing false religion. Others believed that you should buy your groceries wherever they were cheapest. If that money went to bad stuff, well, it couldn't be helped.
So the argument was about freedom. Are we, in Christ, free to do whatever we want? Here's how Paul answers...
"I have the right to do anything," you say - but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything" - but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others... Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks, or the church of God - even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. - 1 Corinthians 10:23-33
Yeah, Paul says, you have the right to do anything. You are free. But then he asks them to remember the bigger priorities. There are bigger fish to fry here than saving a dime/pound on cube steaks. Paul says that in everything we do, we want to advocate for God's glory.
It might seem too hard. You might think that it's just not worth it. But God's glory is where we are most blessed. God honors those who honor Him. As we lay our lives down, He lifts us up. As I reach more and more people for the Lord, I am empowered with joy, peace and purpose. He fills me up as I use myself up for Him.
I thought about the ancient Israelites. All of the Promised blessings were there, they just had to move forward. But they didn't. It seemed too hard. It seemed too scary. They chose momentary comfort over a fully delivered Promised Land.
If I want to receive the blessing of a strong spiritual life, I might have to lose some of my comfort, time, energy, money, reputation, and influence. I will certainly have to lose some control. I believe that the rewards will be worth it!
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