Have you ever read a verse in the Bible that makes you think “Yes, that’s what I want that for my life!”  Joshua 21:45 is such a verse, “Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.”  The context describes the content of those fulfilled promises, “So the LORD gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it.  And the LORD gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hand.”

As I reflected upon that passage I wondered “What was the reason why God fulfilled those promises?”  As one takes a panoramic view of the book of Joshua we see a common theme of obedience.  There is a marked contrast between the people Moses led out of Egypt and those who entered the promised land forty years later. 

Joshua chapter 1 reveals the charge God gave to Joshua, "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”   Am I careful to do all that God has commanded me?  The people responded to Joshua, "Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you; only may the LORD your God be with you as He was with Moses” (Joshua 1:17).

The nation of Israel was not perfect and neither am I, but there’s hope!  Even though Israel sinned (the incident of Achan’s sin at Ai is such an incident) but they dealt with their sin.  Joshua led the way as he set an example for the people, "If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15). 

How is your obedience?  What’s the standard for you and your house – are you careful to do all that He commands?  People are watching and learning from your example.  If we want to experience the fulfillment of God’s promises in our lives then we must serve the Lord and do what He says.