Renewed Purpose (Joshua 5)

Failure rots!

Imagine wandering around in circles for 40 years because of a bad decision. Now that is baggage. This is where we are at in Joshua 5.

“Then the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.'” (Joshua 5:9)

Failure causes tears and we need to learn from them and build on them. Here is what God is calling the people of Israel to do and may I suggest the message is for us. They are about to embark on the spiritual journey into the promised land after such a destructive bad decision. The taste left in our mouths makes us fear, makes us shirk back, and makes us hesitant to move forward.

God calls the people to restore and renew themselves to the covenant and to God’s power and grace. See it is not about us. It’s not about whether we are strong, beautiful, rich, or the powerful – God can give me, and you a renewed spiritual purpose. This is the abundant life promised in Christ.

The purpose is to pass on this promised land to all around us. We cannot fear. We cannot fear others, or even ourselves. God wants to use us and His love and desire that we succeed is a great encouragement. Thus the question … are we committed to this purpose?

The spiritual journey of the promised land is where we live reconciled to the great God, restored (the Passover) to God through His Son’s work on the cross, and we are all in (the lesson of the circumcision).

Not partly in – but all in. Are we? This is a renewed purpose and the result is a true peace that passes all understanding. God loves you!