“Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.”
(Joshua 21:45 NIV)
In my Bible Recap daily readings I finished Joshua. In Joshua, the Israelites who had waited forty years FINALLY had the opportunity to move into the land promised to them by God. Truthfully, the last part of Joshua is difficult for me to connect with because I struggle to care about which tribes and clans had which areas of land in ancient Israel. On some level it’s interesting that this tribe was in the mountains, this tribe was in the desert, this tribe had fertile farmlands and water. But, really, if ten chapters of the Bible can be summarized in my one sentence, I find it hard to engage with the strange names and unknown places.
Here’s what I’ve decided, though. God is interested in the details.
Those ten chapters of (“boring”) division of the land for the twelve tribes and Levites? This must have mattered greatly to God because he doesn’t waste time in his Word on unnecessary things. Amongst the details of who-got-what, were little snippets, like a group of daughters who wanted an inheritance so their family name wouldn’t die out. These brother-less young women mattered to God. (Numbers 36, Joshua 17) The Levites and priests who were to have no land inheritance were given cities to live in because the details of their lives mattered to God. He set up cities of refuge so those accused of accidentally killing someone could find protection from the “avenger of blood” until a trial. Their lives mattered to God. (Joshua 20)
God told the Israelites to destroy everything in a city they were to conquer and to take no plunder. (Normally, in that day and age, the conqueror would take whatever plunder they wanted from conquered people – including the people themselves.) So when Achan the Israelite kept a beautiful Babylonian robe, 200 shekels of silver, and a 50-shekel bar of gold as his illegal plunder, God noticed. This man’s hidden sin mattered to God. For this sin, the man and his household were stoned to death. (Joshua 7:21) No matter how many times we, like the Israelites, pledge our fidelity to God, there seems to “always” be a beautiful robe, or shiny silver item, or golden opportunity that wants to capture our hearts. This is why little things matter to God – because they can grow into bigger things that crowd out our relationships with God.
The omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God of the Universe is also the God who cares about each of us, each of our days, each of …. well, everything. Jesus told us that “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31 NIV) If sparrows and hairs on our heads matter, so do each of the details of our lives.
If “a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step,” each step we take, each detail we observe, makes a difference in the overall trajectory of our journey. Seemingly inconsequential decisions here may greatly impact our trajectory later. Maybe for you, like me, the “trajectory” of life has been less of a straight line and more of a Family Circus – like path. That’s when you look back at your life path and recognize God’s grace has covered all the mess-ups, all the wrong-turns, and all the details. Because those details – like us – matter to God.
God With Us,
Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! When we consider your heavens, the works of your hands, the whole creation which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of us, human beings that you care for us? Yet, great is your love and grace for us, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness to your Children reaches to the skies. Thank you for your careful attention to all the details of our lives. Thank you that you never forget or fail to fulfill a promise, but all your promises are “yes” for us. Help us to have your eyes and ears and to be aware of the details of our lives that you have orchestrated and to help others to see your guiding hand upon them. Help us to always choose your path, your Way, and your Truth in every minor or major decision so that we know your Rest and Peace. We pray in Jesus’s name, Amen.
“For all of God’s promises find their “yes” of fulfillment in [Jesus]. And as his “yes” and our “amen” ascend to God, we bring him glory!” (2 Corinthians 1:19-21 TPT)
“Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.” (Jeremiah 6:16 NIV)
“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” (John 14:6 NIV)
“Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?” (Psalm 8:1, 3, 4 NIV)
“For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.” (Psalm 57:10 NIV)
