Do You know Why you are here? Joshua 8:30-35
Standing beside the Savannah River one day I thought about the fact that the water I saw came from somewhere else (so where did it come from?) and it was going somewhere (So where was it going?) but I was looking at it right then (so what was it there for?)
These are three foundational questions of Life…
1) Where did I come from? Origin
2) Where am I going? Destiny & Eternity
3) Why Am I Here? Purpose
Every once in a while we need to stop and consider these.
This is what Joshua was directed to do by the Lord for the people on Mount Ebal… time to ask and answer & time to refresh and remind - Do you know why you are here?
Rewind (8:30-31)
30 Now Joshua built an altar to the LORD God of Israel in Mount Ebal, 31 as Moses the servant of the LORD
had commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the Book of
the Law of Moses: “an altar of whole stones over which no man has
wielded an iron tool.” And they offered on it burnt offerings to the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings
Altar built on Ebal, the mountain of cursing. A reminder of sin, and its consequences. Pro. 13:15 - Good understanding gains favor, But the way of the unfaithful is hard.
The burnt offerings had to do with sin.
The peace offerings had to do with fellowship.
The Law says, “Thou shalt not.” But, God knows that we will!
The grace of God is still the only hope we have!
By the way, the altar was built before the Law was read. A means of cleansing was provided before the problem of sin was highlighted.
Remind (8:34)
And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the
cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.
Absolute Truth
They were agreeing that the Law was the standard to live by for them
Acceptable Teaching (Discipleship)
They were committing to teach the Law to their children to further the blessings
Application to Life
They were planning on obeying the Law of God personally
Refresh (8:33)
They were surrounded so they had to surrender…
not to the enemy but God! Took faith
...Half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal,
They were summoned so they had to surrender...
not to court but the presence of God (The Ark was there in the midst of them)
Then all Israel, with their elders and officers and judges, stood on either side of the ark before the priests, the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD, the stranger as well as he who was born among them...
We need to reach the place where nothing is more important than living our lives as a statement of active, visible worship to His glory!
Rom. 12:1-2
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.
2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
There is still a place of surrender, sacrifice and service for all those who want the blessing of God on their lives. Where are you?
We are put here to make a difference in the lives of people… everyday!
