Day 16: Faithful

This morning I was reading about Joshua son of Nun. He was the man who was in charge of the Isrealites after Moses. I read most of the book.

The big thing that I took from it is that God honors faithfulness. He desires it and when a convenant is broken he gets really really mad.
It actually affected how blessed the whole of the Isrealites were blessed if just one did something he wasn't suppose to. The only battle that they lost was after a man coveted as took some gold, silver an a robe that were suppose to be dedicated to God.

Repeatedly, it was said that Joshua did all that God and Moses told him to do. Over and over Joshua was blessed with success and strength (he started fighting for the land of milk and honey at the ripe age of 85!!). Over and over God spoke to Joshua and he heard the Lord clearly. He did miraculous signs through him like holding back the waters of the Jordan river when it was at flood stage. Joshua was faithful in his relationship with the Lord.

When everything was done, Joshua spoke to the people. He told them that the had a chance to choose God or to go their own way. He told them that if they chose God and failed to be faithful, God would withdraw his hand from them. He also said that regardless of what they chose, he chose God.
Joshua 24:15 NIV
15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

They replied that they chose God and again he warned against unfaithfulness with promises of what would befall them should the worship another God or not keep themselves separate from the other people in the land. But they stood firm and Joshua renewed their covenant before God.

As I was reading, the verse kept coming to mind that God showers blessings on the evil and righteousness alike, but I noticed that he tends to withhold blessings when the righteousness prove to be unfaithful and fall away. But then the children of God turn back to him and repent of their ways, when that active relationship is restored, God again blesses his people heavily. Keep in mind that I'm not saying that when bad things happen it is always because you did something wrong. Job was not unfaithful and God still let satan test him. But sometimes God does bless his faithful people more because of their faithfulness.

So remember that when you chose to follow God, you must stand firm in the convenant you entered through Jesus' blood and be faithful. Do not trample on the blood of God's beloved son by rejecting what you once accepted for that is the one thing that can't be forgiven (from my limited understanding). Remain faithful to God and He will remain faithful to you as he leads you into the plans that he has for you to prosper and for your good.