January 20

Joshua 3:9–11

9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the Lord your God.

10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.

Biblical Insight

Except for the Hivites, all other tribes mentioned in verse 10 are also mentioned in Genesis 15:17–21. In the Genesis text, God made a covenant with Abraham, promising these lands to Abraham’s descendants. Echoes of this original promise can also be found in Exodus 13:5, Exodus 33:12, Exodus 34:11, and Deuteronomy 7:1, among other places. Now, through Joshua, God echoed and reaffirmed that covenant. While God was not obligated to redemonstrate His commitment to His original covenant, the miracle of the Jordan would serve as yet another physical demonstration of God’s ability to defeat their enemies and His fidelity to His promises.

Daily Devotion

One young adult tells the story of singing the song “I Will Look Up” by Elevation Worship at a final chapel with other group members. The group was full of nostalgia as they looked back over the years.

A portion of the song describes in a simple manner God’s closeness and provision in every season of life: “I will look back and see that You are faithful. I’ll look ahead believing You are able.” As meaningful as those words were to the group in reflection of their past, the lyrics also resonated beyond those moments.

The message reaches all the way back to the Garden of Eden. From day one of Creation, He provided. If we want to know if God cares and is in control, all we have to do is look back. Though He does not always carry out His provision and miracles the same way twice, His assurances are still “yes and amen.” He may change His approaches, but He will never change His promises.

Write a prayer request in the space below. Take time this week to surrender your need to God in prayer, knowing He is faithful.