Joshua: God’s Portion - Joshua 13-22 & 1 Peter 1:3-9
The promise of eternal life is what we receive when we believe in Jesus Christ. The promise is guaranteed, it can never “perish, spoil or fade” being kept in heaven for us. Not only is the promise guaranteed but until we receive it we are “shielded by God’s power”. Peter is pretty clear, we need that shield because we “may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.” Ouch! What kind of portion has been assigned to us?
The people of Israel had been assigned portions of land. But they had to fight for it. They were promised rest, they were portioned out land to enjoy that rest, but to get that land, they had to conqueror it. The rest was guaranteed but the portions they were given was only guaranteed if the people took possession of it. We are guaranteed eternal life, we are guaranteed to enter into God’s rest but until we do, we have to occupy the world in which we live.
Peter says that not only will we possibly face all kinds of trials but we should be “filled with inexpressible and glorious joy” because we are already receiving the results of our faith. When we live according to our faith in Jesus, there will be those who will oppose us. Peter says, “if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name” (1 Peter 4:16). In the mean time, Peter instructs us how to conqueror our land, “Above all, love each other deeply…. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God’s grace”. Together we can conquer all that the world throws at us, rejoicing and praising God for all that he has promised.
__For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
for his ears are attentive to their prayer -1 Peter 3:12
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