Joshua 1:10-11 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,… Sometimes we have heard words like these fall from Christian workers: "I have faith to believe that God will provide the means necessary to carry on this work," and straightway they assume liabilities and enter into engagements, and incur debts, in violation of the plain command, "Owe no man anything"; yea, they even sometimes accuse their brethren of lack of faith because they cannot do God's work in this way. This is not good. To obey is better than to profess great faith; and to hearken than sentimental unthinking zeal. What would we have thought of Joshua if after he had received the Divine order to march forward he had said, "I have faith to believe that God will provide the food necessary for victualling the army all through the campaign; our commissariat is absolutely safe, for it is in Divine hands. God has promised to be with me as He was with Moses, I have no need to think of these things. All I have got to do is to hasten forward." Nay, nay! Joshua manifested his faith in a much more Divine fashion. "Prepare you victuals," he said; do not expect that miraculous supply which has been granted for forty years, now that you are in a position to do without it. You are no longer helpless children, but grown men able to provide for yourselves. The battle is the Lord's, and He will not fail us nor forsake us, but we must use all reasonable foresight in carrying on His work. We dare do nothing, we dare omit nothing, out of harmony with His ways. (A. B. Mackay.) Parallel Verses KJV: Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,WEB: Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, |
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