Readings for today: Joshua 23-24, Judges 1
“Preach the gospel, die, and be forgotten.” - Count Nicolaus von Zinzendorf.
When I was young, I dreamed big dreams. I wanted to be successful. I wanted to be recognized and acknowledged. I wanted to win awards. It could be at school. It could be on the athletic field. It could be in the community. Whatever I did, I did it for the reward. I did it for the medals and trophies. I did it for the accolades that came my way from my parents, friends, and other people in my life. Sadly, I carried this same attitude over into my life as a Christian. Yes, Jesus changed my life in college but this part of me remained. So I worked hard to be the “best” Christian. I wanted to be recognized for my devotion and sacrifice. I wanted other people to know how committed I was to the Lord. I wanted the ministries I served to thrive. I wanted the churches I served to grow. I worked hard to achieve great things for God. I began to burn out. I had a spectacular ministry failure. My reputation was shot. The life I had worked so hard to build came crashing down around me.
God met me in the wreckage of my life. He met me and He reminded me that every good and perfect gift comes from Him. Every blessing. Every achievement. Every success. All of it is grace. It is unearned. It is undeserved. He met me and He challenged me to recalibrate my thinking. Reorder my priorities. Instead of working so hard to prove myself to everyone, He challenged me to walk in humility. He challenged me to take the place of a servant. In short, He challenged me to become like Jesus.
Joshua, of which the name “Jesus” is the Greek transliteration, was a great military leader. Perhaps the greatest military leader Israel has ever known aside from David. He led Israel well after Moses. He led them to victory after victory on the battle field. Under his leadership, they conquered the Promised Land. They took hold of the inheritance God promised. They established themselves as a geo-political force in the ancient near east. It would have been tempting for Joshua to look back on all he accomplished and take credit. It would have been tempting for Joshua to look back at all that had transpired and look for a little recognition. As he recited all that had happened to Israel since Egypt, he could have promoted his own role in the process. But that’s not what happened. Joshua gives all the glory to God. Joshua acknowledges it is God who has accomplished these things. He was just an instrument. He was simply a vessel. A link in a much larger chain that will lead one day to his namesake, Jesus.
You and I are just links in a chain as well. This doesn’t diminish us or our contributions in any way but it does put them in proper perspective. The goal of the Christian life is not to be known. It’s not to be remembered. It’s not to be recognized. It’s to give glory and honor to God. My hope and prayer at the end of my career and the end of my life is that the name of “Doug Resler” will be long forgotten but the name of Jesus will be known by my children and children’s children. By the people I loved and served. By the people I met in faraway places who had never heard the name of Christ.
Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays