神给各人的境界
约书亚记十三章1至7节、33节
1约书亚年纪老迈，耶和华对他说：你年纪老迈了，还有许多未得之地，
2就是非利士人的全境和基述人的全地。
3从埃及前的西曷河往北，直到以革伦的境界，就算属迦南人之地。有非利士人五个首领所管的迦萨人、亚实突人、亚实基伦人、迦特人、以革伦人之地，并有南方亚卫人之地。
4又有迦南人的全地，并属西顿人的米亚拉到亚弗，直到亚摩利人的境界。
5还有迦巴勒人之地，并向日出的全利巴嫩，就是从黑门山根的巴力迦得，直到哈马口。
6山地的一切居民，从利巴嫩直到米斯利弗玛音，就是所有的西顿人，我必在以色列人面前赶出他们去。你只管照我所吩咐的，将这地拈阄分给以色列人为业。
7现在你要把这地分给九个支派和玛拿西半个支派为业。
33只是利未支派，摩西没有把产业分给他们。耶和华─以色列的神是他们的产业，正如耶和华所应许他们的。
信息分享
这段经文未必很有趣，却对我们有很多宝贵的提醒。对不少基督徒来说，他们的一个最大问题，是无法接受神将他们放置在某个境况，特别是在某个事奉岗位。当我们得悉某些基督徒陷于某些困难的光景，我们就不禁质疑神为何不领他们离开。然而，就在这个时刻，我们应该默然信靠神，知道祂叫万事互相效力，叫我们得着益处，而且，祂已为我们各人定下了计划和划定了境界。
我们在约书亚记十三章至十五章，看到神怎样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个分地的过程。这时的以色列民已经攻占了辽阔的土地，可是，还有不少土地仍有待征服。虽然神已应许帮助他们去占领整片应许之地，可是众民却一直耽延，我们在第十八章便看见约书亚需要不断鼓励众民去征服未得之地。
好了，当来到分配土地的时候，以色列民便把每块领地和每个支派的名字分别写在坭版上；然后众民便求问神该如何分配。他们用这种称为「拈阄」的方法来分配土地。这种方式与抽奖不同，它并没有运气的成分，也没有赢家或输家。各支派只是借着这种方式，来获得自己的土地。箴言十六章33节告诉我们：「签放在怀里，定事由耶和华」。换言之，凡事都有神的带领，我们只要信靠祂。
当约书亚和众长老经过祷告，小心奕奕地抽出每个支派的名字和领土的范围时，每个支派的代表一定是既紧张又兴奋了。他们都会乐于接受拈阄的结果。没有人会说：「不公平！」，否则，岂不表示他们认为自己比神更加公平？
我们为何会出现忧虑呢？岂不因为我们担心神给我们的不够好？我们为何不能放心相信神一定将最好的给予我们？归根究底，神岂不是最清楚知道甚么对我们最好吗？让我们学习信靠神吧！
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?