Joshua


March 29
Joshua 21:43-45, 22:1-4

The promised reward

At last, the Israelites conquered the land the Lord had promised them. The people settled in their new homes and villages and the Lord gave them peace. Not one of their enemies had been able to stand against them because the Lord had given them victory.

Then Joshua called the tribes that wanted to settle on the far side of the Jordan River. They had helped the other Israelites fight their battles.

He said to them, “You have done everything Moses ordered you to do and have obeyed my commands. You have not deserted your fellow-Israelites. Now, go back to your land on the east side of the Jordan, and make sure you obey the commandments of the Lord. Always be faithful to Him. You are going home with many clothes, lots of animals, silver and gold. When you get back, share them with the others.” So the men from the two tribes went home.

Will I ever get a reward from God?

Have you ever wished you would get a prize for doing well at school or perhaps earn a big trophy for a sports achievement? How disappointed we feel when we have worked and trained as hard as everyone else, but we go home with nothing to show.

Always remember: rewards for achievements on earth do not last forever. But there is something far better. Jesus said that if we give even just a cup of cold water to someone, we will be rewarded (Mark 9:41). Probably you have already done a lot more good than that.

Each time you do good for Jesus, your reward (which you can’t see yet) is getting bigger and bigger in heaven—where it is being kept safe until you get there one day (Matthew 6:19-20).

Verse for today

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 1 Corinthians 9:25