Christian Devotional – August 28, 2025

Begin Again, Day 30

Bought in to the idea, not the effort required. Read Joshua 18.

As we continue to journey through the book of Joshua, one thing becomes very evident. The children of Israel loved the idea of the promised land, but they did not love the idea of the work required to obtain and conquer the promised land. I don’t know if they thought they would just walk in and God would cause all of the people in the land to lay down there stuff and run away or what they were thinking exactly. Several years have passed and Joshua has to go to the many of the tribes and say, “Hey, are you gonna go get your inheritance? Do you want all this stuff that you were promised? What’s the holdup?”

God often looks at us and says the same things. So often, we are totally bought into the idea of God’s promises and the blessings that he is going to pour out on us. However, our motivation tends to fall short when it starts thinking about the work, obedience, and consistency required in order to achieve those things. God can do anything, and he absolutely could have caused the people to just stand up and lay down their things and and walk away, leaving the land open for the Israelites. However, God also understood that they would not have as much respect for the area if they didn’t have to do the work to obtain it.

When things cost you something, you value them more. God understands that about how he created humans and he wanted the children of Israel to recognize that there was cost involved. We need to understand that there is also a cost involved for and a blessing many of our blessings. Are we willing to go through and pay the cost, knowing that the blessing is worth so much more on the other side. Buy into the entire process God is bringing you through, not just the blessings and benefits.

Watch the video devotional here: https://youtu.be/99j8IcrHEgM