Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

You know the saying, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is?” The Lord tells his people, after wandering in the desert for 40 years, I’ve got a place for you, a place of rest that is abounding in provision and peace! In Scripture we also read that the Lord promised Joshua, “I will give you every place where you set your foot” (Joshua 1:3 Think about it: the current generation had known nothing but temporary dwelling; set up, unpack, pick up, pack up, repeat. This certainly seems like a weary process, so I can imagine God’s Promised Land seemed too good to be true!

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But isn’t that just like God? He does things in ways that are too good to be true.

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To set the scene for you, Moses has just died, and now his faithful servant Joshua is to take his place. He is to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land, the land where the Israelites will reside and finally rest. The Israelites will not only have a home in the land, but they will have abundance of provision from the land. They only have to get up and cross the river to take it. To fully cross over meant they wouldn’t have a place to retreat from the enemy. To cross over meant they had to take God at his word, with neither the physical sight of the pillar to guide them or the provision of his daily manna. A new generation now had to walk by faith.

What does this verse mean for the Christian today? Does it mean that God will bless us if we do all that he requires? Will he rain down arrows of fire if we misstep and mess up?

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It’s important to understand, though, that in order for God to have his presence with the Israelites, they had to have a law of requirements that showed them precisely how to atone for their sins. God gave these requirements to Moses, and yet even Moses wasn’t able to enter the Promised Land because of his own sin. We cannot enter into God’s holy presence or inherit and enjoy his peace and provision by keeping the requirements of the Law. God knew that only his Son, Jesus, could fulfill all the requirements of the law and be the final sacrifice for our sins. Like Joshua, we have to trust God’s promises and accept his gift of salvation by faith.

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So why do we need to meditate and keep God’s law and words in our hearts and minds? Jesus tells us in John 14:15, “If you love me, then keep my commands.” Christ desires us to cross our own “Jordan River,” fully surrendering our lives to him. To love him is to trust all that he has for us here on Earth and in eternity. To love him is to know his words and do what they say. Jesus states, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, but do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). It’s one thing to confess with your heart that Jesus is Lord; it’s a quite another to do what he tells you to do! The Israelites still had to fight and conquer their enemies to take what was promised to them.

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Jesus gives us all that we need to fight and lay claim to our own promised land. The Holy Spirit residing in our hearts helps us hear God’s voice and discern his will when we read our Bibles. When we read and think on God’s words, they seep deep down into our souls. His Word is the pillar of fire by night leading the way, the cloud by day shielding and protecting, and the daily manna, providing daily sustenance.

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What is keeping you from delighting and enjoying God’s Word today? If you’ve already crossed over your “Jordan River” into the promised land, how are you living out what God has for you, today?

I praise you, Lord, that you are a God who hears my prayers and that I have access to your precious Word. Heavenly Father, may your Word always be on my lips and residing in my heart. Holy Spirit, help me to hear your voice when I read your Word; may it guide and protect, strengthen and sustain me. Amen.