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.
Joseph was so prominent, and all the responsibilities in Potiphar’s house were handed over to him. The circumstances changed for Joseph when he was falsely charged by Potiphar’s wife, and there was a set-back for Joseph who had risen in his position in Potiphar’s house. Joseph was thrown in prison for nothing wrong that he had done. He was back to square one.
As I thought about Joseph’s life I recalled an incident from childhood. You may recall how as kids we loved to make sand castles on the sea shore, and would want our castle to be taller than the other’s. Sometimes we will have these naughty little children who will run into the castle just to destroy what was made. It was the same for Joseph whose life suddenly came crashing down because he was falsely charged.
Joseph is honored even in prison
We may think that this was the end for Joseph but we read in Genesis 39:21-22, “But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison gave all the prisoners in the prison into Joseph's hand. And whatever they did there, was his doing.” (AFV)
This is an astounding turn of events. One would imagine that when Joseph landed up in prison that would have been the end. However, even there Joseph was recognized for his diligence, and he was promoted to be in-charge of all the prisoners.
If you are wondering as to why you have been deprived of the promotion that is due to you, or feel your blessings are evading you, make a decision to do everything with diligence and integrity. Commit everything to the Lord in prayer, your superior will see the difference, you will find favor in the eyes of those who are in authority, and you will be elevated. Our work should be such that it is the very best, and no one can do it was well as we do.
For instance if you are a nurse in a hospital, take care of patients just as you would take care of your own child, if he or she were not well. We should not work just because the government gave us the job or some private sector appointed us, but rather consider it as given to us by the Lord, and hence work as unto the Lord. Irrespective of whether someone is overseeing us or not, we must do everything as unto the Lord, and I can guarantee you on the basis of God’s word that you will be duly exalted.
Joseph is recognized and exalted
Let us read to see what happened to Joseph as he languished in prison.
We read in Genesis 41:38, And Pharaoh said to his servants, "Can we find any man like this in whom the Spirit of God is?" (AFV)
Of all the men who worked in Pharaoh’s palace, Joseph was outstanding, and Pharaoh recognized that there was none like Joseph.
As children of God prayerfully ask God to help you do all that is entrusted to you with diligence and integrity, and you will certainly be honored.
God assured Joshua that He would be with him just as he was with Moses. Let us study the word to understand the wonderful way in which God revealed to the people that He was with Moses.
The people turned against Moses
We read in Numbers 14:10, “The whole community was threatening to stone them to death, but suddenly the people saw the dazzling light of the LORD's presence appear over the Tent.” (AFV)
As Moses led the people of Israel through the wilderness he was often challenged by them. At one point they gathered together, and wanted to stone Moses. If it were not for Moses whom God used to deliver the people of Israel they would have continued to be in bondage to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Moses took a great risk to go before Pharaoh who was one of the most powerful kings in those days, and with God’s help delivered the Israelites, but it was these very same people who plotted to stone Moses. We read that at that very moment the dazzling light of God’s presence appeared over the tent of meeting.
We too may face such challenging circumstances where those who have received good from us and all sorts of help in their time of need turn against us. Whenever people turn against us, we too can be sure that God will fight on our behalf because God never forgets all the good we do even if those whom we helped forget about it.
God’s judgement
These are the words of the Lord in Numbers 14:12, “I will strike them with a plague and destroy them. Then I will make you into a greater and mightier nation than they are.” (CSB)
The Lord was displeased with the rebellious ways of the Israelites, and wanted to destroy them. God was ready to make a great nation using Moses alone.
Moses’ response
If God were to say this to some of us we would be delighted that God is going to destroy all of our enemies, and we would probably share this as a testimony in church. However, Moses was so different and this was his response as found in Numbers 14:19, “Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.” (ESV)
This was what made Moses so different from everyone else. The reason God was with Moses was because Moses had a heart of love that could plead on behalf of those who were ready to stone him.
Often we have a heart to take revenge on those who hurt us, and we wish for them to suffer for the wrongs they have done. Let us ask God to give us a heart to love our enemies, and to do good and pray for those who do evil to us. If we have the grace to do so, the Lord will be with us as He was with Moses, and those around us will see the difference.
Moses’ siblings turn against him
We read of another incident in Numbers 12:1-2, “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the LORD heard it.” (ESV)
In the above mentioned verses we read that Moses’ brother Aaron and his sister Miriam turned against him.
It is one thing when opposition comes from those outside, but it is really hurting when opposition comes from within our own family.
God’s sudden intervention
This is what happened as we read in Numbers 12:4, “And suddenly the LORD said to Moses and to Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.” And the three of them came out.” (ESV)
Note how the Lord appeared suddenly to intervene on behalf of Moses. It does not appear that Moses spoke anything to defend himself. God beckoned all three of them to come to the tent of meeting.
This is a word of caution to us that when we speak against or turn against a man or woman of God, the Lord will act suddenly, and without warning. Like Moses we too must learn to be silent when we are falsely charged, knowing that God will bring justice, and act on our behalf as long as we are His children.
God’s punishment
The Lord reprimanded Aaron and Miriam for speaking against Moses.
This is what happened as we read in Numbers 12:10, “When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.” (ESV)
When the cloud was removed from the tent of meeting, the outcome was the Miriam became leprous, which meant that she was cast away from the people to live in isolation.
This comes as a word of caution that if we speak against God’s anointed ones, we too will be cast aside.
Moses’ response
Moses did not take pride in what happened, nor did he boast to others about God’s intervention on his behalf but rather, this is what he did.
We read in Numbers 12:13, And Moses cried to the LORD, “O God, please heal her—please.” (ESV)
The response of Moses to his sister’s predicament is astounding. Moses pleaded sincerely with God that He should heal his sister.
As children of God if we want God to be with us and exalt us, we must have a heart like that of Moses. Moses had a heart of love that did not seek to take revenge, but was willing to forgive and plead for those who had wronged him. We should yearn to have a character like Joshua who was true and patient under the leadership of Moses. There is a great example of Joseph for us to follow who was diligent in all that was entrusted to him. Let us ask God to help us grow these characteristics in our own lives too, so that God can use us, and exalt us to bring glory to His name.
Rev. F. Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
Transcribed by: Sis. Esther Collins
