Drive Them Out

One of my favorite things about working in children’s ministry is I get teach these kids some of the most foundational principles of life, both in the natural and the spiritual. That and the free candy! Sometimes the two intersect. Like when there’s a big bucket of tasty candy and you’re passing it around and that ‘one kid reaches into the bucket and pulls out the tootsie roll. As he begins to complain about the piece of candy that is in his hand these magical words begin to leave your lips, “you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit.” That’s one of the most standard phrases in Children’s Ministry. We should carry around speakers telling all the complainers this.

Have you ever expected God to do something and when it came down to it he didn’t do as much as “you thought” he should? You asked God to give you a family and now your family is going in a million different directions and it seems that God isn’t holding it together. Or you’ve prayed for God to give you patience and joy and just when you think everything is under control you get in a car wreck and all that joy and patience is out the window.

There’s this really weird account at the end of Joshua 17. The Israelites have moved into the promised land and now Joshua is dividing the land between tribes and clans. In verse 14 the clan of Joseph comes to him and says we are too big to fit on the piece of property you’ve given us. Joshua tells them they can go and take the remainder of their land from the Canaanites living down in the plains. Apparently the Canaanites were some bad dudes, with iron chariots and all so the clan of Joseph balks. They just wanted it to be given to them so they can move all their tents in and live. I love Joshua’s response to them: You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment but the forested hill country as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have iron chariots and though they are strong, you can drive them out. (v 17-18)

How many times do we receive what God has for us and then quit? I do it quite a bit. Do you want to keep the family that God has blessed you with? fight for it. Do you want the joy and patience God has promised for you through his spirit? take it. Don’t throw a fit. Don’t complain and tell God how much you don’t have and how much he needs to do. God is sovereign, yes but you’re responsible. I’m responsible for using what he has given me.

As Paul says in 1 Timothy, ‘Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.’

Created about 2 years ago