8 March | EVERYONE
"Now Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died when he was one hundred and ten years old. […] When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel." Judges 2:8-10
What a pity! According to the biblical text, the generation that came after Joshua did not know God. It does not mean that they had not heard of Him, or even that they did not worship Him. Religious rituals remained the same. But the experience with God did not go beyond simple ritual. They lost the knowledge of God that involves an experience of personal relationship with the Lord. Relationship that Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph had. That Joshua himself had. The one who led the people to the Promised Land.
The disastrous consequences of forgetting God began to be seen very soon. Neighboring nations invaded their lands, and the Israelites believed that God had abandoned them. Then “the Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: ‘[…] I will never break My covenant with you. And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars’” (Judges 2:1-2).
God never invalidates His word. It is we human beings who forget the Lord and make pacts with the nations of this world, with their culture, and customs. And when the consequences of our folly arise, the first thought that comes to mind is that God forgot His promises.
God wants us to keep our covenant of faithfulness with Him. May we live in this world but not be of this world. May we leave a powerful influence as a legacy to our children and to the generations that will follow us. May we be able to share the values and principles of His Word and our experience with Him to the new generations. God is always faithful and does His part. Are you willing to fulfill yours?
Take Action
Never allow God to cease to be the center of your life and the light for your surroundings, wherever you are. Pray today to always remain united to Him and to the values of His Word.