Survey

This is a word with a double meaning for sure. It can mean that I’m going to take a general view or an in-depth view of a situation to determine options regarding use or value. It can also mean the scientific measurement of land to determine boundaries and topography of the land. A good survey can help solve any dispute as to property lines with a neighbor or nearby landowner. A survey takes a lot of field work to determine and measure on a big tract of land.

The people of Israel have just taken this land that God had promised them and were disbursing it to the 12 tribes. Joshua was leading and leaning on the Lord to help with the task. He challenges the remaining tribes to get three men from each tribe to map out the land so that final disbursement could happen. Check this out….

⁸ As the men started on their way to map out the land, Joshua commanded them, “Go and explore the land and write a description of it. Then return to me, and I will assign the land to the tribes by casting sacred lots here in the presence of the Lord at Shiloh.” ⁹ The men did as they were told and mapped the entire territory into seven sections, listing the towns in each section. They made a written record and then returned to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh. ¹⁰ And there at Shiloh, Joshua cast sacred lots in the presence of the Lord to determine which tribe should have each section. (Joshua 18:8-10 NLT)

This sacred lot is simply getting the Lord’s help to “draw straws”. The Lord is in charge of this whole transition, but the people are required to lean and work hard for the possession of the land. I love looking at land and coming across a stream or wildlife.

The survey is important to a real estate transaction because it takes the guesswork out of where the boundaries are. In some cases, there is more land in the tract than previously thought. At other times, it is less land – the survey makes a permanent record and a plat that is recorded showing the tract of land.

A couple of things I thought of when I was reading this simple passage… The Lord was driving the people to their new land. He was leading and in charge. He was also in charge of which tribe received which land. I was shocked at the amount of land given to Manasseh, Joseph’s son.

I am still learning to let the Lord help me with decisions that seem easy and obvious. I’m also learning to trust him with the big stuff and little stuff. He will often speak into my soul through His Spirit about what is the right decision and plan going forward. I have peace when He is leading and directing my every step.

Pressing On!

Dwayne