Joshua 21:1-7

"The ancestral heads of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest and Joshua son of Nun and to the heads of the other tribes of the People of Israel. This took place at Shiloh in the land of Canaan. They said, "God commanded through Moses that you give us cities to live in with access to pastures for our cattle. So the People of Israel, out of their own inheritance, gave the Levites, just as God commanded..."(Joshua 21:1-3)

This morning as I was observing my personal devotional time, I asked as I usually do, for God to give me a Word I could apply to my heart.  If you are anything like me, you struggle with the same things day after day; confessing the same short-falls over and over again.  My journal is filled with pages listing my concerns and fears.  Today God showed up to point me in the direction He wanted me to walk and he used Joshua 21:1-7 to do it.

The Levite's (priests) were not given an allotment like all the rest of the tribes for it was understood they would receive a share from the others.  This was a promise Moses had shared and passed down to Joshua.  So, when every other tribe had received their pledged allotment, the Levites finally presented their petition to the general convention.  They boldly asked for land to live on and work.  The people complied, sharing out of their own inheritance.

The message I heard through these words loudly shouted to me, "Ask for what you need."  The Priests had to do this.  Even though the cities and pasture land had been promised to them, they needed to step up and claim it.  My heart sings as I read these words.  As one who too often waits to see what will happen, I was encouraged to have the reminder that even though I have been promised, "I have not because I ask not."  I love the way this is said in the Message translation below.

"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn't a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in." (Matthew 7:7 MSG)

Read Joshua 21:1-7 here

Listen to Joshua 21:1-7 here