Skip to content

Daily Devotional

Daily Devotional

A Ministry of the Kerwin Baptist Church

April 5, 2018

April 5, 2018 by Pastor Hawtree

I AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE:

TO GIVE YOU REST

Joshua 1: 13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.

So much stress over this land. So much needless strife. So much wasted time. Year after year, wandering in the wilderness. Mile after mile, marching and walking and thinking. Living in that dry, parched wilderness but never really having a home. Putting up temporary tents, living out of Egyptian suitcases, and building temporary dwellings, only to pull them back down to keep traveling. Women gave birth to children in that caravan, and all but a couple of people that originally left Egypt gradually died off during this journey. What a trip. Now God was faithful, as He always is, to meet their needs. He gave them shade, warmth, food, and water. But there was nothing glamorous in this expedition. It began so victoriously as God miraculously parted the waters of the Red Sea, and later as Manna miraculously fell from Heaven. But then, discontentment quickly came, and complaining and criticism quickly followed.

What is interesting about the whole experience is that it was never necessary from the start. God had already promised this land to the children of Israel. He had already claimed it. He had already provided for it. God was going to go ahead of them and fight the battles and clear the way. God had promised to do so. It was there for the taking. If only they had exercised faith in the promise that God had already made. If you notice the verse, God had not just given them the land, God had given them “rest”. Unfortunately, they had not been able to enjoy either. You see because they did not step out by faith, they were never able to fully “rest” in God’s provision. There was always confusion, distress, and questioning. There was always doubt instead of belief. They saw the Giants and the grasshoppers in the land, but they could not see God. They could have enjoyed the land, and even more importantly, they could have enjoyed God’s rest. How different that would have been from what they experienced. There was little rest on their path through the wilderness all those years.

Until you and I have faith in the promises that God has made, we will never enjoy real rest. God gives the “rest” before he gives the “land”. Notice in the verse which one came first. The “rest” comes from trusting God before He gives the land. That is what faith is. Faith is believing that God will give the land even before we ever see God give the land. We believe it because he said it.

There is some “rest” that you and I can enjoy today. Are you anxious about something going on in your life? Are you concerned, confused, or even tempted to complain. Are you beginning to wonder or doubt that God will honor His promises?
* Psalm 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

Post navigation

Previous Post:

April 4, 2018

Next Post:

April 6, 2018

Recent Posts

  • December 31, 2020
  • December 30, 2020
  • December 29, 2020
  • December 25, 2020
  • December 24, 2020

Archives

  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
March 2023
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
« Dec    
* indicates required
© 2023 Daily Devotional | WordPress Theme by Superbthemes