He Left Nothing Undone (Al Sandlin)

What an epitaph! There was a man in the Bible who had this tribute accorded him concerning the task assigned him by God. This man is truly an example for all to follow. “As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses” (Joshua 11:15). Did Joshua accomplish the impossible? Certainly not! God never asks anything of anyone they are incapable of performing. Let's examine a little closer the charge given to Joshua and see how he was able to achieve this stupendous feat.

Preparation. Moses had led the Hebrew captives from Egypt through the wilderness to the edge of that promised land Canaan. God had tapped Joshua to be his successor as leader of this band of Israelites (Deuteronomy. 34:9). Joshua had demonstrated before God, Moses and his fellow Hebrews that he had faith — undying faith — in Jehovah God. Joshua was one of two men whose assessment of the land of Canaan was that it could be taken — with God's help. This was in the face of ten men who said it couldn't be done. Deuteronomy 34:9 says Joshua was a man “full of the spirit of wisdom.” Early in his life he made a decision not to follow the majority. He was willing to be different and stand tall as a man of faith. Those who prepare themselves to serve the Lord God are not the ones who have the “Let somebody else do it” disposition. They are the ones who sing “Here Am I Send Me” and are sincere in doing so. Joshua was that kind of man.

Consecration. God needed a man who had prepared himself to be a leader. God exhorted Moses to be an "encourager" to Joshua. “But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see” (Deuteronomy 3:28). He took note of the man Joshua and at the appropriate time selected him to be Moses’ successor (Numbers 27:18-23).

The first chapter of Joshua records the charge given by God to Joshua. It would be his task to lead the children of Israel over Jordan and to effectively possess the land of Canaan as God had promised Abraham many years earlier. God committed Himself to be an ever-present source of help to Joshua. “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of they life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee” (Joshua 1:5).

Dedication. It was Joshua's responsibility then to be a real role model for that Hebrew congregation. “Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:6-7). God's exhortation to be strong and courageous was indicative of the fact that there would be times of despair and resignation; times when quitting would be an attractive escape; but those must be the very times that Joshua must muster the courage to go forward in the name of Jehovah, the Lord of hosts.

Toleration. The book of Joshua is a great source of encouragement to any and all who claim to be a child of God. This attribute alone is so vitally important to one who is a successful Christian. There are times when it seems impediments to progress pop up at every turn. God's servant, however, sees these as stepping stones to greater heights. As Joshua led the people of God in conquering the promised land, it was necessary on numerous occasions for Joshua to marshal strength and courage to press on so that his way would be prosperous and successful (Joshua 1:8).

Application. The accolade accorded Joshua which we noted in the beginning was true because he applied the truths of God to his assigned tasks. He believed God; he obeyed God; and he was successful. As the days of his leadership waned, he made this statement to the people of Israel: “Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth. . .” (Joshua 24:14). Only sincere and truthful service is pleasing to God. Joshua's success is a testimony to that fact.

Dear reader, are you doing everything which God has commanded you? Is there anything you are leaving undone? A day of accountability awaits every individual. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians. 5:10). At that time it'll be too late to try and change things left undone. “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12).

If you are not a Christian, believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (John 8:24); repent of the life of sin you are living in (Luke 13:3); confess that Jesus is the Christ (Matthew 10:32); be baptized by immersion in water for the remission of your past sins (Romans 6:3-4; Acts 8:36-38); be faithful until death (Revelation 2:10) and heaven will be yours. God promises that to those who obey Him (Hebrews 5:9). Don't leave anything undone.

If you are a Christian, are you living as you ought? If not, would you change even today? “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). Hell is prepared for those who don't do as they ought as well as those who do as they ought not. Don't risk it!

The Parable Of The Mirrors (Selected)

A peddler stood in the city square and shouted, "My merchandise can change your life!" A crowd quickly gathered, and the peddler displayed a cart full of mirrors. "Preposterous!" cried the crowd. "How can mirrors change our lives?" Most of the people scoffed and walked away.

But three women stayed to take a closer look. Each finally decided to buy a mirror. The first woman bought a small fancy mirror. "I do not want to look at myself," she thought as she walked home. "So the mirror will have to change my life from another room" She mounted the mirror in an unused study where it was soon covered with dust and cobwebs.

As she walked home, the second woman said to herself, "I will not waste my time looking into this mirror. It will have to change my life as I carry on my daily duties." She mounted her mirror in the hallway where she glanced at it occasionally.

"If a mirror is to change my life," the third woman thought, "I must get as much out of it as I can." She mounted the mirror in her room and stared into it expectantly each morning. Soon she began to notice when her hair was out of place, so she combed it carefully. She observed blotches of old makeup on her face, so she washed them away. She saw that her dresses were torn and plain-looking, so she mended them and added lace and color.

Soon others began noticing the old woman was using her mirror. She was invited to tea by her neighbors; she was visited by new friends; she was courted by the most eligible bachelor in town, whom she eventually married.

One day the changed woman met the other two who had bought mirrors. They were still unchanged. "We all bought life-changing mirrors," the pair said, "but our lives have not been changed like yours has. Why?"

The changed woman smiled. "It's all in how you use the mirror," she said. "The more you see yourself the way you are, the more you are able to change."

Think of one of these mirrors as a Bible. The first woman represents the kind of person who buys a bible just to say she has one. The second woman symbolizes the person who has a huge family Bible on the coffee table so that those who see it will think she is a religious person. But the third woman stands for the Christian who reads and studies God's Word to learn what is wrong with her life and how to change it.

"Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does." (James 1:21-25)