Today we know that the Lord is in our midst...

Joshua 22

So this passage is about three tribes that had faithfully fought alongside their brothers, even though they didn't have to. You see, these tribes had already received their land before the fighting really began, and so they were fighting solely to help their brothers.

A band of brothers.

But then something interesting happens that I had forgotten about. After the war is finished the three tribes return to the land that they had left behind in order to fight alongside their brothers, and they end up building a huge altar at the border between their land and the land of their brothers.

Their brothers hear about this and assume that their brothers have turned from God and have built this altar in order to worship an idol. Figures: the Israelites are always making idols and turning from God. So they get ready to head over there and make war against them before God punishes all of them for this idol worship.

But the three tribes don't build this altar in order to worship an idol, but instead to remember all that God had done for them, and to teach their children as well.

When the other tribes hear this, they say, "Today we know that the Lord is in our midst, because you have not committed this breach of faith against the Lord" (22:31).

God is at work in places we don't always see. Sometimes we assume the worst about others and forget that God is at work among them. But the truth is our lives are in his hands. We are not perfect, but we worship a God who is. And if he is at work among us, if we are his handiwork, then what does that make us?

We are in good hands. Even those of us who are far out of sight.