But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul. ~ Joshua 22:5 (NIV)
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Parting words to friends and loved ones who are moving away usually come with some advice...
~ Drive careful...
~ Watch your back...
~ Write when you can...
But Joshua's advice when the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Manassah's tribe returned to the land given to them was very pointed and got right to the heart of the spiritual matter: Remember God and all He has commanded you. Love Him completely and serve Him with all that you have. Their relationship and responsibility to God and their spiritual growth was of great importance to Joshua, who was sending his Jewish brothers back to their own part of the world. You see, it's very easy to slide down the incline of spiritual complacency and stagnation when you leave your spiritual support system. Some even throw in the spiritual towel completely and walk away from the God they once knew.
I recently had a friend move across country to Florida, to be with her senior adult parents and get a fresh start on life. Although I will miss her, I realize that this is a great opportunity and experience for her, and I feel God has led her there. My advice to her was to get plugged into a local church, to connect with Christian brothers and sisters there and continue her spiritual growth through Bible study and worship. And let me tell you: she is taking her God with her on her journey! While on the road, she witnessed to a waitress about how the Lord is leading her on this journey, and the woman was so thankful and open to talk about God! And last Sunday, my friend headed off to a local church to start embracing her new community, all the while holding hands with her God. Amen!!!
They say the world is flat now, and I understand that concept. People are shifting at great speeds, with opportunities to transplant themselves almost anywhere on the globe. These are exciting times! But I pray that we can help our brothers and sisters in the Lord be mindful and accountable to God and cling to their commitment to Him when they leave our side for whatever reason.
To love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength needs to be our primary focus wherever God sends us, because without Him, we're lost and will fall into many a trap. Stay connected to God and encourage others to, also -- He's our lifeline!
Love,
Joelene
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