Joshua 23 - Cling to Christ

Let’s grab a cup of coffee, jump into the Word, and talk to Jesus. I had a random generator choose a book and chapter of the Bible for me to dive into this morning. Today, it landed on Joshua 23.  I decided to choose 3 verses that I wanted to decipher further, and then discussed my takeaways with the Lord. Before I share my takeaways, I would love it if you would join me in reading Joshua 23. Go read Joshua 23; choose 3 verses, and then meet back here!

Joshua 23:3, “And you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the Lord your God who has fought for you.” I tend to get so wrapped in the inconveniences and hard areas of life. It has been so bad in the past that the tribulations of life completely consumed my mind. It is like my mind was choosing to forget all the blessings that the Lord has bestowed upon me. And let me be clear, I do not deserve a single one of these blessings. Not only does God continue to bless me when I do not deserve it, but He is also constantly fighting in my corner. What an amazing concept to think about! Because I have a tendency to dwell on the negatives, it has been really important for me to take time and reflect on all the blessings that the Lord has done and is working through in my life. As mind-blowing as it is, I have to remind myself that the creator of the universe is fighting for me in my corner daily. This in turn will help me not become so wrapped up in the things of the world. Let’s move on to the next verse.

Joshua 23:8, “but you shall cling to the Lord your God just as you have done to this day.” I feel like I have made it pretty clear at this point that I am prone to cling to my flesh, especially when walking through hardships. This has failed me time and time again and has left me feeling incredibly lonely. I am still walking through difficult times, but my perspective has wholly changed. Now, I am clinging to Christ instead of my flesh. It has given me unimaginable peace and it feels like a giant weight has been lifted off my shoulders knowing that I do not have to carry anything alone. What a beautiful gift God has given us in this. Let’s move on to the third and final verse.

Joshua 23:16, “if you transgress the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land that he has given you.” I am ashamed to admit that when I first read this verse the first thought that popped into my head was that this verse did not apply to me. I mean, it is not like I worship any other Gods. But the sad reality is that I do. It may not look like a giant golden calf or another man-made God that I am worshiping, but there are things that I idolize that I absolutely should not. If you know me, then you know that one of those things was Taylor Swift. I definitely idolized her, and it was incredibly unhealthy. I would even attempt to justify things that she did that I knew in my heart were wrong. We hear all the time that God is a God of love, and while this is absolutely true, He is also a God of wrath. The first commandment in the ten commandments is: Thou shall not have any other Gods before Me. Just as we have to correct and punish our children, God too has to correct and punish us. He not only cares about our character, but He ultimately cares that we are following Him and pursuing the kingdom. 

As we wrap up this chapter, I am reminded that the only comfort and joy I will ever find in this life is in Christ. I need to cling to Him in all areas of my life. He is the ultimate sustainer, comforter, and friend. I am so thankful that I never have to face anything in this life alone!