Bigger than One Man

"Now Joshua was old and advanced in years when the Lord said to him, 'You are old and advanced in years, and very much of the land remains to be possessed. This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and all those of the Geshurites; from the Shihor which is east of Egypt, even as far as the border of Ekron to the north (it is counted as Canaanite); the five lords of the Philistines: the Gazite, the Ashdodite, the Ashkelonite, the Gittite, the Ekronite; and the Avvite to the south, all the land of the Canaanite, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, as far as Aphek, to the border of the Amorite; and the land of the Gebalite, and all of Lebanon, toward the east, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon as far as Lebo-hamath.'" -Joshua 13.1-5

Joshua has led Israel through a lot. He led them across the Jordan and for seven years he led them to victory against thirty-one kings as they began to take possession of the Promised Land. But for all that he has accomplished there is still much to be done. Israel is in the land, but they have not taken possession of all that God has promised to give them. Joshua is old, and his work is almost complete, but there is still much to do.

The work of God is bigger than one man. Each of us plays a role, and that role is vital, but the role we play is not all that there is to do. Kingdom work is bigger than any of us, but the role each of us is to play is essential. Joshua took possession of part of the land, he laid a solid foundation for those who would accomplish the next stage of the plan.

Men, do you see your part in the work of God's plan as vital? Do you see it as final? Let me tell you this, you do have a vital role to play, and if you don't the next set of leaders will be hindered because of work they have to complete that was not theirs to do. But know this, there will be others who come after you. Your work is not the last that will be done and your time will come to an end. And that is ok, because we are caught up in something bigger than any of us.

Joshua accomplished all that he could, and as we'll see, makes preparations for the work to continue after he is gone. He does not try to cling to power and go on forever, none of us can yet sadly many try. He laid a solid foundation and made plans for the walls.

Let us humbly realize our place in God's plan. Let us do our part to be best of our abilities, and let us make preparations for those who will take over from us. Let us be men who know that the work of God is bigger than any one of us.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor