Reading passage. Joshua 3: 1-17
And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. – Josh 3:7 NIV
Moses, who led the people of Israel for forty years in the wilderness, is now dead (Deut 34:5-7). Joshua was commissioned by God and appointed by Moses, to lead the people to the Promised Land (Deut 34:9-12). He was a little fearful as he knew he was nobody compared to Moses. But God encouraged him and said, Joshua, today onwards, I will begin to exalt you, and all Israel will know that I am with you as I was with Moses.
Remember, God exalts Joshua, so that the people may know that he is in partnership with Him. The act of exaltation is not to show how strong you are, but to demonstrate God’s presence in your life!
God fulfilled His promise on the same day. As soon as the feet of the priests touched the water’s edge, the upstream stopped flowing. The people crossed over through the dry land! (Joshua 3:9-7) That day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they revered him all the days of his life, just as they had revered Moses. (Josh 4:14)
However, it is possible that when God exalts us, we become proud. We may think that the reverence we get is for our endowment. An imaginary story says that the colt that Jesus rode to Jerusalem was elated and thought it is for its admiration the robes were spread. While it’s way back, it saw the launderer spread robes to be dried. The colt thought it was spread in its honor, and proudly walked over the cloth. There is no need to say how severely it was beaten up! We are exalted because Jesus is riding upon us.
It is God, who is with us, that exalts us. People should see God and not selves, His act of exaltation. You are exalted not because you are great, but because you bear a great God!
Prayer: Lord, Thanks for choosing me to be your partner. Every honor and glory belongs to you, O God, AMEN
Further reading: I Tim 1:15-17; Rev. 5:9-14
