Choices

Readings for today: Joshua 15-18

God’s promises are always sure. Always true. Always good. In the Book of Joshua, God makes it clear that His great desire is for His people to dwell secure in the land He had promised them. At the same time, God’s people are not perfect. They are not faithful. They are not whole-hearted in their devotion. Their strength fails. Their resolve weakens. Their obedience is not complete. The result is an incomplete conquest. A delay in the fulfillment of God’s promise. Does this mean God has failed? Absolutely not! It means God has remained true to Himself. True to His plan and purpose for the world. True to the creature He first made in His image.

In the beginning, God gave human beings dominion over all He had made. We were created to work the “garden” that is this world. We were created to cultivate and help it flourish. We were entrusted with this responsibility. We were given agency so we might freely choose to serve God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength. We were given a will that was free which means our choices are real and result in real-life consequences. So when human beings in places like Israel and Gaza fail to resolve ancient tribal differences, it breaks out into open war. When human beings conduct experiments with dangerous pathogens, it breaks out in deadly pandemics. When human beings live beyond their means in unsustainable ways, it disproportionately impacts the global poor. When human beings funnel money intended for national development into their personal coffers, it destroys families and lives for generations.

Israel was entrusted with the Promised Land. Each tribe allotted a specific portion by lot. They were to conquer that territory and drive out the pagan inhabitants. But Israel failed in her mission. They were unsuccessful in their attempts to fully subdue the land. They allowed certain Canaanite tribes to co-exist. And even though they forced them to do hard labor, they were setting the stage for future uprisings and conflict. From this point forward, Israel would struggle to remain faithful to God. Struggle to resist the temptation to worship other gods. Struggle to maintain their control over the land. Struggle to rest in the promise of God. Again, this is not because God somehow failed. Not at all! It is Israel who failed to remain faithful thus setting a pattern for generations to come.

You and I are no different. Created in God’s image. Given dominion over all God has entrusted into our hands. Our time. Our talent. Our treasure. Our influence. How are we stewarding all God has given us? How are we laying hold of the promise of God for today? How are we walking in obedience even in the midst of our current cultural crises? The choices we make in this cultural moment carry real consequences for good or for ill. The agency we exercise is real as is the responsibility we bear for ourselves, our families, our neighbors, and the human race as a whole. What tone are we setting for future generations? What legacy are we leaving to our children and grandchildren? When they look back at this moment in history, what will they say? Will they see Christians responding with faith over fear? Peace amidst all the anxiety? Grace in the face of all the outrage and judgment? Sacrificial love in a world full of selfishness and greed? You and I will be held personally and corporately responsible for how we respond in this moment. May we respond like Christ.

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 19-22

Inheritance

Readings for today: Joshua 11-14

I remember sitting in a class at the University of Colorado and discussing anthropology with our professor. The history of Homo Sapiens is a violent one. From the moment our ancestors began to populate the earth, they engaged in all kinds of warfare, especially with other hominid species. Some historians argue that violence and conflict is an intrinsic part of being human and there are very few periods in history where we haven’t been at war with someone, somewhere around the world. Perhaps this helps put into context our readings for today.

Israel, like every other tribal nation in the ancient near east, fought wars. They fought to establish themselves in the Promised Land. They fought to secure a future for themselves and their children. They fought to accumulate land and wealth and resources. They fought to secure the inheritance God had promised them. This is what every tribe did in the region at that time. It was either kill or be killed. It was a war fought for survival. In fact, many of the tribes listed in the Book of Joshua would return the favor and attack Israel at different points in her history. And while it may seem strange to us in the 21st century, it is the norm throughout human history.

God works through human culture. You’ve read those words time and time again on this blog. God refuses to work apart from the creatures He made in His own image. He refuses to revoke the mandate He gave us at creation to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and exercise dominion over all He has made. He refuses to absolve us of our responsibility to act as His chosen instruments in the world. At the same time, He will not override our freedom. He will not force Himself on us nor will He coerce us into doing His bidding. He works through even our bad choices, sinful choices, evil choices to make Himself known. He works through our brokenness and corruption to make His will known. So even as Israel invades the Promised Land and puts entire cities and tribal groups to the sword, God is at work. Does it mean He approves of everything they do? Clearly not. But God is capable of using all things - the good, bad, and ugly - to bring about His sovereign purposes.

We still live in a world at war. Conflict rages all over the globe. Gaza. Ukraine. Azerbaijan. Turkey. Syria. The list goes on and on. There seemingly is no end to the violence. Man’s inhumanity towards man knows no boundaries. It is perhaps comforting to remember that God is at work even when we cannot see Him. He is at work even when we cannot hear Him. He is at work even when we cannot understand His plan or purposes. He is bringing His Kingdom to earth. He will set all things right. He will make all things new. And we will receive the inheritance He has stored up for us in heaven.

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 15-18

Finishing Strong

Readings for today: Joshua 15-18

The key is not how we start the race but how we finish. I remember running in my first 5K when I was a young boy with my brothers. It was the Denver Symphony Run in downtown Denver. I remember the day was dreary and rainy. I remember pushing my way to the front of the start line with my brothers. I remember the starting gun going off and the three of us sprinting to the front of the pack. We led the race for about the first 100 yards. You probably can imagine what happened next. We spent the next three miles alternating between jogging and walking as we struggled to finish. It was a painful experience.

Israel sprints out of the gates in their conquest of the Promised Land. They win victory after victory. Joshua’s leadership is exceptional. His tactics strong. His strategic decisions brilliant. Always in the right place at the right time. Anticipating. Attacking and counter-attacking. It reminds me of the movie,When We Were Soldiers, and how Colonel Hal Moore seemed to make every right move. The first campaign comes to an end. Israel is now firmly and deeply entrenched. They are the new power to be reckoned with in the region. But Joshua cannot be everywhere all at once so now it is up to each tribe to go out and secure their allotment. They are to go out with the same boldness and courage that so marked Joshua and complete the conquest. They are to place their trust in God and His ability to fight on their behalf. But they fail. They fall short. They lose heart. So the Jebusites remain in the territory of Judah. The Gezerites remain in the territory of Ephraim. Other Canaanites remain in the territory of Manasseh. As they struggle to uproot those already living in the land, they start to grow afraid. Afraid the military might of those who oppose them. The iron chariots and those fortified in the hill country. They are afraid they won’t succeed. They take their eyes off of Yahweh. They forget His faithfulness. They give into their fear and the conquest is never fully completed. 

Finishing is hard. How many folks start this race we call the Christian faith only to wither along the way? Jesus knew this about us and He even told a story once about a farmer who went out to plant his seeds. Some seeds fell on the hard path. Some seeds fell among the rocks. Some seeds fell among the weeds. Other seeds in good soil. Each tried to take root. The seeds on the path had nowhere to go so they were eaten by the birds. The seeds among the rocks had no place to put down roots so they sprung up quickly but then died. The seeds that fell among the weeds also sprung up but were eventually choked off. Finally, the seed that fell on good soil produced a bountiful harvest. What makes up the soil of your heart? Have the seeds of the gospel found purchase in your heart? Did they spring up only to die for lack of roots? Are the cares and the worries of this world threatening to choke off your faith or are you producing a harvest of righteousness? Are you finishing the race?  

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 19-22