Title: No “Yeah, but”s/Topic: Action vs. Excuses

Today’s Reading: Joshua 15; Joshua 16; Joshua 17; 1 Corinthians 8

Scripture: Joshua 17:14-17
14 The people of Joseph said to Joshua, "Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people and the LORD has blessed us abundantly."
15 "If you are so numerous," Joshua answered, "and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites."
16 The people of Joseph replied, "The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have iron chariots, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel."
17 But Joshua said to the house of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh-"You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment 18 but the forested hill country as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have iron chariots and though they are strong, you can drive them out."

Observation: Ephraim and Manasseh were complaining to Joshua about the amount of real estate they had been alloted in the promised land. The bottom line is that they wanted Joshua to solve their problem. When he told them to drove out the inhabitants and work to clear the land for themselves they developed a case of the “yeah, but..”s. “Yeah, but I can't do that because ...”, there is always an excuse after a “yeah, but”. Joshua would have none of it. He put the problem back squarely on their shoulders to solve telling them that they were able to take care of it.

Application: There are a couple of lessons here. One is that I need to make sure that I am not a person always coming up with excuses as to why I can't do something. We have a responsibility to seek God's will and help in any undertaking but we still need to act. God can't bless what we never attempt. Another lesson is that when others come to me for a solution to their problems but show no interest in trying to help themselves (in other words they are giving me “yeah, but”s) I need to make sure I don't take on a burden that belongs to them.

Prayer: Give me wisdom and discernment Lord. I don't always see when others are trying to make their problems mine to solve. And give me courage to solve all of my own under your hand of direction and guidance. I don't want to be one who always has an excuse as to why I can't enter rest in my promised land.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.