Heroes of the Bible: Remaining Faithful Through Your Later Years Sýnishorn

Today’s Hero of the Bible: Joshua

Joshua was looking back. But he had a very special purpose for doing so. He was now an old man and had not long left in this world. And he wanted to urge the nation's younger leaders to finish the work God had given them to do. So he reminded them of what God had commanded. And then he crowned his exhortation to them with this wonderful statement of encouragement:

“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.”

Looking back can be dangerous. We can look back and make false comparisons with the present. We can look back and relive memories that leave us sad and discontent. We can even look back and be filled with regret at mistakes made long ago.

But Joshua was doing what we all should seek to do as we get older. He was seeing that not one
of God's promises had failed. It was as though he ticked off in his mind every promise God had made to the children of Israel, and how that promise had been fulfilled. Joshua's ministry was nearly at an end. He had served God faithfully and proved His grace and goodness through many different situations. And in everything he had found the Lord faithful. He then voiced that, to encourage his comrades to continue to trust their God.

Surely this is something we can all do. And we can talk about it to other people to encourage and strengthen them. One of the great ministries of older people is declaring, Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed!