Reliable Word Of Providence

The LORD said to Joshua, Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand all of them over to Israel, slain. You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots. Joshua 11: 6

Having viewed and discussed two of the four powerful and precious words from the above quoted text, we dive into the third word with confidence, anticipation and holding peace of mind and heart. We are ever mindful of the first two words as brought to Joshua, and they have been claimed as for us also. First, our Father’s reliable Word of Promise - The LORD said to Joshua, gave us the confidence we each needed in our present dilemmas that our Father speaks to us personally and we hear Him. Next, our Father’s reliable Word of Peace - Do not be afraid of them, broke us away from crippling fears and anxiety with His ever-working peace in our minds and hearts.

Today, with our Heavenly Father’s precious and powerful Words courting and carrying us on, we come with ever ready and open hearts and minds to receive the third Word given in the text.

The Word of Providence - By this time tomorrow. 

When the word providence is used, if your mind is as simple as mine, the first thing you see is what I refer to as a fatherly word. The word is, provide. I say fatherly because it is a word of, covenanted obligation – that which a father is committed to do; a word of personal ownership – sharing ownership of child or children with no other; a word of mindful responsibility – always reliable and ready to be a father in every way and at any time.  Listen again to these words which to some may appear rude and obstinate coming from the lips of children. No child asked to be born, or we did not ask to be born. The father therefore, has a responsibility to provide for his child, love, security, food, shelter, safety, correction and praise.

God is our Heavenly Father and He made you His child, nothing of your asking.

You did not choose God first, He chose you. Do you remember Jesus’ memorable love words to us, His people? You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit. John 15: 16a. We are made our Heavenly Father's children to bear His fruit, not the fruit of another father.   Also, you must forever keep in the uppermost part of your mind that it was our Father’s Love, which made you and me, His children. How great the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3: 1a. Love has made you God’s child, in His divine care, nurture and keeping, all in His providence. Father God ensures that all things work together for good for you and all who are called His.

If Father God’s providence means His divine working on your behalf, then surely, as Lord and Creator, who is over all and controls all that He has created, then all time must be subject to Him. My brother and sister, when our Heavenly Father says, by this time tomorrow, know, with pertinacious, unrelenting and unwavering belief that it will be so. Don’t you know who our Heavenly Father is? Time and space are in His hands to do with as He desires. In His providence He is able to speak about time and events which must and will happen. Our Heavenly Father speaks about time in providential colours.

Okay, Joshua is courting the Lord’s faith-quickening promise and peace, with a great and fierce army still in his sight, but that’s okay. Indeed, it’s okay, because those skilled, strong, experienced mighty men of war, do not know what Joshua knows. They think that by the end of the day, they will be celebrating a massive victory over the children of God, but how blind and deceived they are. Joshua knows that in less than twenty-four hours, it will all be over and the whole army of soldiers, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many, will be a defeated heap.

God is your reliable and power-speaking Heavenly Father, whose providence is always to the good of His children. Never gainsay His providential Hand in your life. Even when fierce enemies are still in your sight and perhaps a bit too close for comfort, keep your heart and mind fixed on God and His time-words. Remember, He controls not just time but the events of time. Whether God says you will be delivered instantly, momentarily or tomorrow even, bear this fact in mind. Father God’s providential word to you concerning time means that He has already given you the victory.

Our Father in Heaven, I know with undefeatable and uncompromising assurance that Your providence is not flimsy, patchy, suspect or unproven. I have proven this Father, and I only want my life, in the midst of this harrowing experience, to openly and boldly testify to who You are as my Father. Let the enemies array themselves all around me, let them surround me with their mightiest of men and machinery, let them speak loudly their intimidating talk, Your Word of Providence is my unbending and unyielding anchor. Today Father, I too want to show, in my small life, Your huge providence, knowing that, guided by Your unerring Spirit, I shall never be made ashamed. I shall know Your providential way and be made a conqueror in You. Forgive me Father, for any stray thoughts even, which come at me in fiery darts to get me to deny You, for I am prone to weakness. Thank You for grace and mercy. Amen!