I have been studying about Joshua lately in the Old Testament. What an amazing story of an ordinary kid that someone saw something in and pulled it out. Joshua walked with Moses for many years. He was raised up spiritually by Moses. I loved going back and finding the first time scripture spoke of Joshua and following it through to see his life...how he interacted with Moses and Joshua's deep love for God...all the things that prepared him for leading Israel later. It is a rich account of scripture. I will blog over the next few days of all God has taught me through my time in that section of the Bible.
I will finish with this. My favorite scripture involving Joshua is in Exodus 33 when Moses and Joshua had been in the tent with the Lord. Moses left to go back to the people, but it says Joshua lingered there. Oh how vital those precious times that Joshua lingered in the presence of God were to the days ahead. There is nothing that compares to just being in the presence of Almighty God. This short phrase speaks volumes to me of Joshua. A person who is deeply and desperately in love with God longs to just linger...to just be with Him. At the beginning of the verse it states that Moses spoke 'face to face' with God....and it makes me wonder...did Joshua? Did he just watch as Moses spoke with the Lord? If he didn't see...did he hear the conversations?? Did he feel the glory that must have filled that tent?
It is in the presence of God that we are transformed. I'm sure there were other things Joshua could have been doing...he was Moses' assistant amongst a very needy people. People will always pull on you, things will always come up that need to get done....the cares of life that scripture warns us of to not get lost in. We must make a choice....what is more important? To hurry off and see people, check off our list of to-do's that will always be there, catch up on the latest tv show...all things that will one day burn up, or linger just a little longer in the presence of your ABBA Father?
I know in my own life I have had to learn, and still am learning, to put things aside for a time, and just be with Him. Sometimes it is the wee hours of the morning, or deep into the night when the house is quiet that I get quiet before Him, talk with Him, or read His Word. Either way...wherever or whenever it is you can steal away with Him and just breathe in His presence....you will find yourself so deeply, and utterly in love... it will be difficult to pull away.
I have been so love-sick lately I have lost sleep because
I just
want
to be
with Him.
He is everything you will ever have need of. He is love. He is Father. He is protector, provider and shepherd.
Linger.
Listen.
Be loved by Him....because
YOU
are His
beloved child.
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