For Kids · 4 min with a grown-up
After Joshua, God's people start strong but then stop short — and we learn why it matters to finish what God asks.
Today's Story
After Joshua died, the tribes of Israel kept working to settle in the Promised Land, just as God had told them. At first, they trusted God and He helped them. The tribe of Judah went first, and God gave them success.
But then something started to go wrong. Several tribes stopped doing all that God had asked. God had told them to fully settle the whole land, but they got tired, or scared, or just… stopped partway. They left parts of the job undone.
It might not have seemed like a big deal at the time. But leaving God's instructions half-done would cause problems for them later on. The things they didn't deal with would become troubles down the road.
Here's the lesson: when God asks us to do something, it's best to do it ALL the way, not just partway. Finishing what God asks — even the hard parts — keeps us safe and blessed. Half-obeying isn't really obeying.
A Big Word
Talk About It
- The tribes started strong but stopped partway. Why is it important to finish what we start?
- Leaving God's instructions half-done caused trouble later. Can you think of a time finishing a job all the way was important?
- Half-obeying isn't really obeying. What's the difference between doing all of what God asks and just some?