神給各人的境界
約書亞記十三章1至7節、33節
1約書亞年紀老邁，耶和華對他說：你年紀老邁了，還有許多未得之地，
2就是非利士人的全境和基述人的全地。
3從埃及前的西曷河往北，直到以革倫的境界，就算屬迦南人之地。有非利士人五個首領所管的迦薩人、亞實突人、亞實基倫人、迦特人、以革倫人之地，並有南方亞衛人之地。
4又有迦南人的全地，並屬西頓人的米亞拉到亞弗，直到亞摩利人的境界。
5還有迦巴勒人之地，並向日出的全利巴嫩，就是從黑門山根的巴力迦得，直到哈馬口。
6山地的一切居民，從利巴嫩直到米斯利弗瑪音，就是所有的西頓人，我必在以色列人面前趕出他們去。你只管照我所吩咐的，將這地拈鬮分給以色列人為業。
7現在你要把這地分給九個支派和瑪拿西半個支派為業。
33只是利未支派，摩西沒有把產業分給他們。耶和華─以色列的神是他們的產業，正如耶和華所應許他們的。
信息分享
這段經文未必很有趣，卻對我們有很多寶貴的提醒。對不少基督徒來說，他們的一個最大問題，是無法接受神將他們放置在某個境況，特別是在某個事奉崗位。當我們得悉某些基督徒陷於某些困難的光景，我們就不禁質疑神為何不領他們離開。然而，就在這個時刻，我們應該默然信靠神，知道祂叫萬事互相效力，叫我們得著益處，而且，祂已為我們各人定下了計劃和劃定了境界。
我們在約書亞記十三章至十五章，看到神怎樣把以色列民安放在迦南地的不同境界；一直至第二十二章，以色列人才完成了整個分地的過程。這時的以色列民已經攻佔了遼闊的土地，可是，還有不少土地仍有待征服。雖然神已應許幫助他們去佔領整片應許之地，可是眾民卻一直耽延，我們在第十八章便看見約書亞需要不斷鼓勵眾民去征服未得之地。
好了，當來到分配土地的時候，以色列民便把每塊領地和每個支派的名字分別寫在坭版上；然後眾民便求問神該如何分配。他們用這種稱為「拈鬮」的方法來分配土地。這種方式與抽獎不同，它並沒有運氣的成分，也沒有贏家或輸家。各支派只是藉著這種方式，來獲得自己的土地。箴言十六章33節告訴我們：「籤放在懷裡，定事由耶和華」。換言之，凡事都有神的帶領，我們只要信靠祂。
當約書亞和眾長老經過禱告，小心奕奕地抽出每個支派的名字和領土的範圍時，每個支派的代表一定是既緊張又興奮了。他們都會樂於接受拈鬮的結果。沒有人會說：「不公平！」，否則，豈不表示他們認為自己比神更加公平？
我們為何會出現憂慮呢？豈不因為我們擔心神給我們的不夠好？我們為何不能放心相信神一定將最好的給予我們？歸根究底，神豈不是最清楚知道甚麼對我們最好嗎？讓我們學習信靠神吧！
THE PLACE GOD GIVES TO EACH ONE
Joshua 13: 1-7, 33
1 Now Joshua was old, advanced in years. And the LORD said to him: “You are old, advanced in years, and there remains very much land yet to be possessed.
2 This is the land that yet remains: all the territory of the Philistines and all that of the Geshurites,
3 from Sihor, which is east of Egypt, as far as the border of Ekron northward (which is counted as Canaanite); the five lords of the Philistines—the Gazites, the Ashdodites, the Ashkelonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also the Avites;
4 from the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians as far as Aphek, to the border of the Amorites;
5 the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon as far as the entrance to Hamath;
6 all the inhabitants of the mountains from Lebanon as far as the Brook Misrephoth,and all the Sidonians—them I will drive out from before the children of Israel; only divide it by lot to Israel as an inheritance, as I have commanded you.
7 Now therefore, divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and half the tribe of Manasseh.”
33 But to the tribe of Levi Moses had given no inheritance; the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as He had said to them.
Message
This chapter may not seem interesting, but it has some wonderful lessons for us. One of the most difficult problems for many Christians is to accept the place where God has put them, particularly their place of service. We all know stories of Christians in difficult places and we wonder why God has allowed them to remain there. Yet there is always the quiet assurance that God overrules for our good in spite of everything and that he has a place and plan for us.
Here in Joshua chapters 13 to 15 we have the tremendously interesting story of God placing his people in their various sections throughout the land of Canaan---the land he had promised to them. It continues right through to chapter 22. They had conquered large sections of the country and even though there was still quite a lot to be possessed God said, 'Divide it all by faith'. In chapter 18 you will see how Joshua had to stir up the people to complete the conquest, in spite of God's help and command to do just that.
The land was divided and the name of each section written down on a piece of stone or clay. Then the name of each tribe was written on another piece of stone or clay. Then the name of each tribe prayed asking God to guide in the selection of each tribe and the piece of land that tribe should have. This was called 'casting lots'. It was not like a lottery which is a selfish way of trying to get something by luck or chance. With lotteries there are few winners and many losers. God is not present nor does he guide the results. But with this division of land, each tribe was to receive their own portion. Proverbs 16:33 tells us that God guided in these choices and we can believe that he did.
It must have been a wonderful scene as Joshua and the elders carefully and prayerfully drew out each tribe's name and the name of each lot of land. Each tribe had to accept what God gave them. No tribe could say, 'We haven't been treated fairly'. If they did, they would be speaking against God. They would be saying, 'We know better than God'.
What is sorry? Is it fear that God won't give you what you want? Why not trust him to make decisions for you? After all he does know best, doesn't he?