Sermon Central
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God Who Exalts
Contributed by Andrew Dixon on Dec 10, 2025 (message contributor)
Summary: When we have hearts like Moses, humility like Joshua and diligence like Joseph we can be assured that the Lord will elevate us so we can become useful vessels whom He can use for His glory.
Today’s meditation is taken from Joshua 3:7, “And the LORD said to Joshua, "Today, I will begin to magnify you in the sight of all Israel so that they may know that I will be with you, as I was with Moses.” (AFV)
The Lord told Joshua that He would exalt him in the sight of all the Israelites. Moses led the people of Israel for forty years, and the Lord performed mighty signs and wonders through the hands of Moses. All of these proved to the people of Israel that God was with Moses, and that he was God’s chosen one. After the death of Moses the mantle for leadership fell on Joshua, and the people did not esteem Joshua as they did Moses. God wanted to change this mindset and attitude of the people of Israel. The word of assurance from God to Joshua was that He would be with him, and would magnify his name amongst the people of Israel.
Whenever people slight us, look down on us or think of us as those who are ordinary, the Lord can perceive such thoughts of people.
Joshua was faithful to Moses all through those forty years when he led the Israelites in the wilderness. Moses faced many issues and uprisings from the people he led, but Joshua did not join hands with anyone, but continued as a faithful helper to Moses. During all those years Joshua did not covet the position that God had entrusted to Moses, but rather continued the responsibilities with truthfulness and humility.
The Lord desires that each one of us should have a heart of integrity and humility for only then God will exalt us in due time. Like Joshua we too must learn to be patient, and continue faithfully in the responsibilities entrusted to us. When we do so we will not look ordinary to people around us, but will be those whom God honors. We all desire to be held in esteem with those around us, and the Lord is willing to do so, if we remain faithful in what He has entrusted to us.
Let me share a few incidents that will help explain this point I am trying to make.
Joseph was diligent and God was with him
We read in Genesis 39:2-3, “And the LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all he did to prosper in his hands.”(AFV)
God was with Joseph, and he was successful in all that he did. Joseph was in the house of his Egyptian master, in a strange land, but Joseph was diligent in all he did. God was with Joseph and prospered all that he did, and this was recognized by Potiphar, who was Joseph’s Egyptian master. Joseph’s master realized that the Lord was with Joseph, and that it was His presence that prospered all that Joseph did. Potiphar was Pharaoh’s official who probably brought many slaves to his home. However, as days went by there was a marked difference between Joseph, and the other slaves. Everything that he handed over to Joseph was successful, and his master realized that God was with Joseph.
When the presence of the Lord is with us, God will prosper all the labor of our hands. It should also be our prayer that those around us should be able to recognize that God is with us. In everything that is handed over to us we too should be diligent, and ask the Lord to help us do our very best. You may be a housewife, but even in those jobs that you do around the home should be done excellently as unto the Lord. Even in the mundane chores that we do every day we must chose to do them really well. If you are one who constructs houses, your work should be the best there is. There are many who have not achieved this honor that God has in store for them because they have not been diligent and cautious in all that God has entrusted to them.
God honors the diligent
We read in Proverbs 22:29, “Do you see a man diligent in his work? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before obscure men.” (AFV)
When I read the above mentioned verse, it appears to me that there are very few who are actually diligent in their work, and hence the question. Such a person who is diligent will be consistent in what he does, and will not be job-hopping. Only those who are conscientious in their work will stand before kings, and they will never have to stand before those who are insignificant.
