"We must trust, though we seem alone, there are others walking with us."

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Saturday, March 27, 2010

Day 86: Land

Today's Reading: Joshua 16-18

One can inherit a lot of things: money, paintings, furniture, and a bunch of old "stuff." I consider myself fortunate. My inheritance from my parents was land. Money can be spent, paintings lose their charm, furniture crumble and the old "stuff" might end up at the local Goodwill, but land is land. It remains.

Today, as with previous chapters, there is much talk of inheritance and land. When one has land, one can sustain one's self. Crops can be grown and cattle can graze. Trees can be planted and fruit harvested. Homes can be built. Children can have space to run and play.

The land described in today's passage is the most argued over land today. People are dying and killing over the land issue. Three "siblings," three religious groups, from the same father, Abraham, are arguing over their inheritance. In modern culture, there seems to be no one to arbitrate the argument, though many are trying.

One of Joshua's jobs was to make sure there was land apportioned appropriately--enough land to sustain a tribe of people. Much of scripture is the telling of the boundaries of the land which has been claimed by, robbed by and promised to the sons and daughters of Israel.

Promised land...an interesting phrase.

Land promised to the Israelites; a kingdom dreamed of by those who follow Christ. Isn't it interesting that the inheritance God gives is land? Land created and sustained by God's hand.

This weekend has been a good one to be digging in the dirt, to be tilling the land. Many find comfort and satisfaction in this very old and very sustaining use of time.

Let us give thanks to God today for the land all around us--for the land we own, the land we share and the promised land of eternity.

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