April 2, 2019
Joshua 5:9-12 The Voice (VOICE)
Today is the twenty-fourth day of our 40-Day Lenten Series, “Praying for a Kingdom Heart.” Lent should be a time of prayerful reflection, repentance, and restoration as we draw closer to the heart of God. Our prayers connect our human lives with the loving provision of Creator God; it is a communication partnership to which God calls us. He loves working with us, as well as helping us see and enjoy his presence. The Lord is our divine Provider and he is teaching us to be his sons and daughters of faith and love. We are to be led by the Spirit to bear righteous fruit which brings forth more seeds. Therefore, we generously sow that which is good into the fertile ground of the Kingdom while we pray and wait; in so doing we are sowing to the work and will of our loving God. While we are helping others, God multiplies that love seed to bring forth our harvest. “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary (Gal. 6:9). Are you putting faith to your seed as you ask God to provide in your life?
In our passage today, Joshua has successfully led the Israelites into the Promised Land as directed by God. The wilderness wandering and God’s temporary provision of manna is history; the Jordan River has closed up behind them. They must move forward if they are going to obey God. It is time to grow up and put their hand to the plow. Israel has been delivered into a land to call their own; they will now receive God’s provisions through sowing and reaping in obedience to God’s Word.
During Lent, we will be using the acronym P.R.A.Y. as we pray for a Kingdom Heart. P=praise, R=repent, A=ask, and Y=yield. May God bless you as you spend time in God’s Word and in prayer today.
Joshua 5:9-12
9 It was here, where they had piled up the stones, that the Eternal spoke to Joshua.
Eternal One: On this day I have rolled away from you the shame of Egypt.
And the place is called Gilgal, which means “circle of stones,” even today.
10 While the Israelites were encamped at Gilgal on the desert plain east of Jericho, they celebrated their first Passover on the evening of the 14th of the month in the land the Lord had promised them; 11 and the next day they ate some produce of the land, roasted grain, and flatbread. 12 Beginning after that Passover, the Israelites were no longer fed with manna, as they were in the desert. From the day they ate from the new land, the manna ceased. From then on they ate only the crops of the land of Canaan.
Prayer: Father, I praise you for the ability to sow and reap the righteous provision of your Kingdom. I repent for the times in my life when I sought to reap where I did not sow. You created all of your children to sow of themselves for the benefit of your Kingdom and mission. I ask you to continue to use me and every seed you give me to bring growth for your Kingdom cause. I willingly yield to your way of provision. In Jesus’ name. Amen.