When Your Lot Feels Too Small

The children of Israel had just conquered Jericho and several surrounding cities. Joshua is now dividing the land as the Lord commanded. When it came to the lot for the tribe of Joseph, they said it was too small because there were so many of them. Joshua tells them to extend to the wooded area, cut down the trees, and use that land. They then say they can’t do that because the Canaanites that dwell there have chariots of iron and are strong (many of them). I love how Joshua answers them. He doesn’t brush off the fact that they have iron chariots and are strong. Instead, he acknowledges it and tells them they will conquer the land because the Lord gave it to them! Many previous verses state that the Lord will fight for you. How easy it is to get our eyes off the Lord and on what we ‘see’ instead. They just had SEVERAL major victories that could only have happened because the Lord fought for them, and yet, they say they can’t take this land because of the Canaanites who have iron chariots and are strong. They focused on the iron chariots and not what God had told them and what they had experienced. We are so like that. We have major victories in our lives because of the Lord, who is ALWAYS with us, and yet when a trial comes, we get scared. May we always have the faith of Joshua and Caleb and wholly follow the Lord. I’m sure they had moments when they were scared, but they never took their eyes off the Lord and trusted Him to take care of it!