A blog from Sunday’s sermon on Joshua 17:14-18
Life doesn’t always give us what we think we deserve. Opportunities, challenges, relationships, resources often feel unevenly distributed. But Scripture teaches us something profound: the Lord Himself deals the hand we are given. And when God deals, He deals with wisdom, intention, and love.
In Joshua 17, we find a tribe complaining about their allotment of land. Their response to God’s provision mirrors the way we often respond to our own lives. Their story becomes a mirror for our hearts.
Let’s walk through it together.
I. A Selfish Complaint (Joshua 17:14)
The people of Joseph come to Joshua with a grievance:
“Why did you give us only one portion of land? We are too numerous for this small allotment.”
At first glance, it seems like a reasonable concern, but the problem isn’t the land. It’s their heart.
1. God’s allotments are intentional.
In Israel, the Promised Land was divided by lot. These lots were not random, but rather they revealed God’s will. Each allotment represented God’s plan and God’s provision for that tribe.
2. Their complaint reveals dissatisfaction.
They believed their portion wasn’t enough. They believed they deserved more. They even blamed their complaint on God’s blessing: “We’re so big because God blessed us, so we need more!”
The real issue? They did not like God’s revealed plan. They wanted a different hand.
3. This is us.
How often do we complain about the “lot” God has given us: our circumstances, our job, our gifts, our church, our season of life?
We begin to think we know better. And nothing in life feels joyful because we’re always measuring our allotment against someone else’s. It’s like ungrateful children at Christmas, surrounded by blessings yet convinced they got the smallest present.
Takeaway: Consent to Your Allotment
Trust that what God has given you, your life, your opportunities, your church, is intentionally and lovingly designed. Your “lot” is not punishment, it is provision.
II. A Sarcastic Comeback (Joshua 17:15)
Joshua responds to their complaint with a touch of sanctified sarcasm:
“If you’re so numerous, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves.”
That stung.
1. They had plenty, but it required work.
Joseph’s tribe had forests, hill country, valleys, and access to fertile plains, but they didn’t want to clear the trees. They wanted land that was already prepared, comfortable, easy, and convenient.
2. Their problem wasn’t their allotment, it was their laziness.
They wanted more blessings without more responsibility. More comfort without more effort. This goes all the way back to Eden: God gave Adam the entire world, along with the command to cultivate it.
3. Application: God’s blessings require cultivation.
Your life is not a spiritual welfare program. God gives us potential and then calls us to steward it. Sometimes we must clear the woods in our schedules, declutter our hearts, reevaluate our commitments, and cut down distractions, like phones, spending habits, entertainment, noise.
Clearing the woods is hard. But it’s the only way to enjoy the land God has given us.
Takeaway: Cultivate Your Allotment
Stop waiting for life to get easier, and start working the ground God has placed beneath your feet.
III. A Sacred Commission (Joshua 17:16–18)
The people complained again:
“We can’t take that land—the Canaanites have iron chariots!”
Another excuse, another avoidance. But Joshua sees right through it.
1. The chariot excuse was hollow.
Israel had already defeated armies with chariots. This wasn’t a military problem; it was a heart problem.
2. God had commissioned them to cleanse the land.
Removing Canaanite strongholds wasn’t just a military task, it was a spiritual one. Leaving those cities intact meant leaving sin and idolatry intact.
3. Their unwillingness revealed a deeper issue.
They didn’t want to fully drive out wickedness. Like renting an Airbnb with one locked room
You don’t know what’s behind it, but it feels wrong to keep something off-limits.
We often do the same with God. We give Him most of our lives but keep one locked room where we store our private sins, attachments, or habits.
Takeaway: Cleanse Your Allotment
You cannot live fully in God’s blessings while tolerating pockets of sin. Holiness is not optional, it is foundational.
Conclusion: Reach Forward
This is what Reach Forward is all about:
- Consenting to God’s plan
- Cultivating the blessings He has placed before us
- Cleansing our lives so we can walk in holiness
What hand has God dealt you?
You may not have chosen it, but God did, and His plans are always good.
So today ask yourself:
- Have I consented to the lot God has given me?
- What trees do I need to clear so I can fully use my allotment?
- What sin or compromise must I cleanse from my life?
Your allotment is not too small, your calling is not impossible, and your God has not forgotten you. It’s time to play the hand He dealt with gratitude, with diligence, and with holiness.
Click here to watch the full sermon:
Playing the Hand you are Dealt
