February 4th, 2026
Joshua 23:14b – 16
You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. But just as all the good things the Lord your God has promised you have come to you, so he will bring on you all the evil things he has threatened, until the Lord your God has destroyed you from this good land he has given you. If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you.”
I learned about the principle of cause and effect in 6th or 7th-grade science class. But I experienced the truth of it at a much earlier age. Like most of us, I was not very old the first time I realized that my actions had consequences. I probably couldn’t verbalize my newfound learning, but I am certain the experience resulted in some sort of temper tantrum or meltdown as I felt the weight of my poor choice. I remember one time in particular when I was pretty mad at my parents for a punishment they had doled out as a result of my disobedience. I complained to my sister, who simply said, “Yeah, but you did it,” and walked away. She walked away with a certain amount of satisfaction, but she was right.
After Achan’s disobedience to God, the Israelites were all too aware of what happens when we don’t take our disobedience to God seriously. But let’s call that disobedience what it is – sin. We know that our actions have consequences here on earth, but we don’t always stop to consider the magnitude of their eternal consequences. On earth, we can say we are sorry, pay a fine, or try harder the next time to make up for poor choices. But the eternal consequences for our sins require much more. Our sins call for a complete separation from our heavenly Father for all of eternity. That’s what Joshua was trying to get across to the people of Israel.
God is always faithful and always true to Himself. We’re the ones who walk away and do our own thing. Jesus is the ultimate solution to our sin problem. What Jesus gave us – salvation – costs more than we could ever pay. He makes a way for us to work at living a life surrendered to God and His leading.
Jesus, thank you for the gift you have given us so that we can have a relationship with you. Your Word says that you are the way, the truth, and the life (John 4:16). We are sorry that we get it so very wrong sometimes – walking in selfishness, fear, and pride. Remind us of your faithfulness and help us to surrender our lives completely to you, so that we might see the fullness of your blessing in this life you have given us. Amen.
