So Good....I just Can't Tell It All!

Joshua 16:1-4 and 10 - The allotment for Joseph began at the Jordan of Jericho, east of the waters of Jericho, and went up from there through the desert into the hill country of Bethel.  It went on from Bethel (that is, Luz), crossed over to the territory of the Arkites in Ataroth,  descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as the region of Lower Beth Horon and on to Gezer, ending at the sea. So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance.    ………..

They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.

 

Joshua continues the process of dividing the land…and this third allotment went to the two sons of Joseph. Half the tribe of Manasseh had chosen to live in the rich land on the east side of the Jordan River…so now the rest are given a place to raise their families on the other side along with the tribe of Ephraim. The boundaries in the northern area of Canaan describe a portion that is larger than even the Tribe of Judah’s region of the south.

 

It was unusual...to say the least...that these two sons of Joseph would be given this honor….for the youngest sons usually got their share of an inheritance last…not to mention that the grandsons only received what their father would have thought a fair share.  But these two tribes get third honors…as if they were the second oldest in the family.

 

The Bible isn’t very clear on why…maybe it was because Joseph was Jacob’s favorite all along…or maybe it was because Jacob had actually adopted these two sons way back in Genesis 48. Maybe it was just because God told Moses to do it this way...overriding the traditions they had used for years with a brand new concept. It really isn’t important to know every detail sometimes...but only remember that God sometimes blesses us with more than we deserve…just because he loves us that much.

 

It reminds me that if I sit down and try to make a simple list of all that God has given to me in my 54 years…it would take several notebooks of paper to write it all down.  From the honor of being born to two strong Christian parents…growing up with 4 sisters that helped to teach me love and respect for others at an early age… being adopted by God himself at 14…and knowing that he has covered me from that day on to help me find his purpose and will for living.  It’s like a song we sing at church…so good…I just can’t tell it all. 

 

Sure there have been storms and battles...and God has allowed me to experience some major sorrow …and defeat. I am more like these tribes than I care to admit…for they too failed to conquer the city of Gezer…and allowed them to live amongst them as slaves. But I would have 100 notebooks listing the clear blessings of God in my life…and the one notebook listing what I thought of as setbacks…would have amazing notes of how God has used them to show me something good about him.

 

Father…you are so good…and as I sit here visiting with you this morning I am reminded that you adopted me so many years ago and promised to never leave me.  Even when I chose to leave you…you waited patiently till I invited you back…cause I could not live completely on my own. I am humbled by the thoughts of how much you love me…and they begin to help me understand the love Jacob had for Joseph and his two sons.  Help me this day to concentrate on thanking you for all that you have done for me….allowing the thankfulness to overflow into the lives of those around me….so you can adopt even a multitude more of people before you return to give us our permanent inheritance in Heaven. Amen.

 

Here is a link to the song….So Good…I just can’t tell it all...done by the Mississippi Mass Choir   http://youtu.be/cj-nVx17V7U