It’s more than what you do, it’s who you are

Posted byoakhillcrossvillePosted inUncategorized
Good morning everyone,
 
Our theme for this month: “Be the church”
 
Our Bible verse for today: “As for me and my family, we will worship the Lord.” Joshua 24:15 (CSB)
 
Our thought for today: “It’s more than what you do, it’s who you are”
 
When we resolve to simply be the church in the world, individually and collectively, it’s more than just a matter of doing certain things, it’s a matter of who we are. “Being the church” is just us being who we are and living how we live because of who we are.
 
We find a Biblical example of that in the person of Joshua. Joshua lived as a slave in Egypt. He experienced the escape and the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea. He was one of the spies sent to reconnoiter the Promised Land and he and Caleb were the only two who brought a good report and who encouraged the Israelites to trust the Lord and to go forward to occupy the land. Joshua then endured the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, and during that time he served as Moses’ right-hand man.
 
At the death of Moses, Joshua was selected by God to be the new leader of the nation of Israel. He then spent the rest of his life leading them as they occupied and settled the Promised Land.  He was a good, strong, confident man who faithfully served God and the people through long years of hardship and challenge, and he consistently grew stronger and better as a result of it.
 
Now in Joshua 24:15, as he is nearing the end of his life, we find Joshua challenging the nation of Israel to continue following the Lord after he is gone. If you read the rest of the passage, you will find that the people were inspired by Joshua’s example and they responded positively to his challenge.
 
Joshua is an example of a man of steel and velvet (as discussed in a previous devotional in this series.) He was a man of courage and conviction, but also kind, compassionate, and humble. Also, he didn’t just persevere through hard times – he didn’t just stick with it and keep going, instead, he lived and learned and grew and thrived. He faced his challenges with strong faith in the Lord and with a determination to live well and victoriously no matter what he encountered.
 
For Joshua, living like that was simply a way of being. It was just who he was as a man of God. The people saw that in him and were inspired by it, and we today continue to be inspired by his story when we read it in the Bible.
 
That kind of resilience is a virtue we develop when we resolve to face our challenges with faith and determination and to use them as an opportunity to grow stronger and better. Over time it simply becomes a way of being. The way you live then, will be more because of who you are rather than just what you do.
 
God bless,
Pastor Jim
 
(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville
 
 
 
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