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Today’s Readings: Joshua 7 and Proverbs 7 

Good Morning, it’s Monday again and I’m looking forward to sharing the word with you today! For many of us, this Monday marks a sort of new beginning. Although the first day of January has past, there are still lots of “fresh starts” on the horizon. At our house, it’s back to school for our kids, the start of new activities like swim team and back to regularly scheduled work for me. As I read through our scripture today, I couldn’t help but really identify with our Israelite friend Achan. This new generation of Israelites are really committed to following God’s will. After conquering Jericho, they move on to the tiny town of Ai. Joshua relies on the strength of his army to defeat the small city and instead in driven out. Only after this defeat does he turn to God in despair and ask for guidance. Enter…Achan. The poor guy has to come forward and confess in front of the whole nation of Israelites that he gave in to temptation.

“Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did: when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” Joshua 7:19-21

 First of all, way to go Achan! How difficult it must have been for him to stand before his people that are so very disappointed in him and tell the whole truth. Achan’s sin was not merely keeping some of the treasure, but disobeying God’s explicit command to destroy everything related to Jericho. He underestimated God. He didn’t think that taking these seemingly small things would have far reaching consequences. It’s easy to judge him from our point of view. Looking back on the last few chapters of Joshua you sort of just want to call out to him and say, “Achan…it’s not worth it!” But aren’t we just the same? Don’t we often justify our sins by telling ourselves they are too small or too personal to truly hurt anyone but ourselves? Although Achan’s sin represents only one man’s failure to follow God’s word, it brought judgement on the entire nation. God wants us to turn away from the desire for personal gain and turn toward a life of spiritual obedience to Him. When we do that, we are blessed with His encouragement, His guidance and His promise of victory.

Of course, because God wants to reinforce his message and show us that he is near, His words for us in Proverbs 7 echo those of Joshua 7:

My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you;
keep my commandments and live;
keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.

Proverbs 7:1-3

 Lord, help us to treasure your commandments and live them with joy this week!

The picture above definitely brings out the former preschool teacher in me.  I am a visual learner, so this helps me remember stories of the Bible.  Without reading farther, can you answer the above question in the picture?

Today’s reading is Joshua chapter 6.  The following verse will help you with the answer:)

Joshua 6:20 “So the priests blew the trumpets.  As soon as the people heard it, they gave a loud shout, and the walls collapsed.  Then all the army went straight up the hill into the city and captured it.

Jericho was a city that lay in the eastern provinces of the Promised Land.  The city had to be demolished because it was fully given over to paganism and was a center for worship of many false gods.  God did not want any trace of idolatrous people living where Israel was to worship only God.

The walls of Jericho were nothing like we might see in castles today.  The walls were six feet thick and up to 26 feet high and sat atop a 46 foot hill making the city almost impossible to get into.

This story in Joshuah 6 demonstrates the miraculous power of God.  The strategy to conquer the city of Jericho was unique in two ways.  First, the strategy was laid out by God Himself.  And second, the strategy seemed quite foolish.  God simply told Joshua to have the people march silently around Jericho for six days, and then, after seven times around, on the seventh day, to shout.  Though it was not a traditional way to conquer a city, Joshua followed God’s instructions.  When the people gave a shout, the massive walls collapsed instantly!  Israel won an easy victory.  God had given the city of Jericho to them before they even began to march around its walls.  It was when the people of God, by faith, follwed the commands of God that the walls of Jericho fell down (Joshua 6:20).

This story was recorded in Scripture in order to teach us several lessons.  Most important is that obedience, even when what God has imprinted on our hearts seems foolish, brings victory.  When we are faced with seemingly insurmountable odds, we must learn that our Jericho victories are won only when our faithful obedience to God is complete.

What is your battle of Jericho?  What walls do you need to collapse in front of you?

Do you remember singing this song as a kid?

Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho                              Joshua fought the battle of Jericho                                                      And the walls came a-tumbling down

It is a very catchy song (believe me, everyone has told me to stop singing it for the past few days!), but it is not really accurate.  It was not Joshua who brought down the walls.  It was God.  And it was not Joshua’s fighting that won the victory.  It was his faith in God.

Do you have faith that God will take care of your Jericho in His timing and in His way??

Read:  Proverbs 6

Today’s reading: Joshua 4, Proverbs 4

Today as I was preparing for my first staff meeting of the year, I pulled out our 2018 Annual Operating Plan to review.  This plan sets out the goals and objectives my department intends to achieve over the next twelve months.  While important, and intended to guide our actions in the near-term, this plan doesn’t tell the whole story.  In fact, without a view to our organization’s vision, mission and strategic plan, it could seem fairly trivial.  When looked at as part of the bigger picture, however, my department’s Annual Operating Plan with its specific, measurable, actionable, realistic and time-bound objectives helps keep us on the right path.  While we can’t achieve our aspirational state in just twelve months, we can certainly derail it if we don’t make progress on our Operating Plan this year.

As I opened Proverbs 4 to prepare for today’s post, Solomon’s words took me back to strategic planning. In 1 Kings, Solomon articulated his aspirational state when he asked God for wisdom. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people (1 Kings 3:9).

Do you have a strategic plan? Not one for your team at work, but one for you personally?  Have you articulated your aspirational state?  If not, what guides your daily choices?  May I challenge you to consider following Christ as the vision and mission of your life?  The words of Proverbs 4:18-19 describe an aspirational state I believe is worth pursuing.

The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble (Proverbs 4:18-19).

Likewise, the words of Proverbs 4:25-27 describe tactics to guide your daily choices.

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.  Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.  Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil (Proverbs 4:25-27).

Today’s reading: Joshua 3, Proverbs 3

Joshua 3 is the marking of the days before the miracle of crossing the Jordan River into Jericho. The people have camped and Joshua moves through the crowds telling them “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you” (Joshua 3:5).

There’s a lot of them! 2-3 million men, women, and children traveling together. Hauling their animals, tents and possessions. Have you ever travelled with extended family? There’s typically a few squabbles or disagreements along the way right? This trip is extended family on steroids! I’m sure there were lots of distractions and commotion along the way. Millions of imperfect people following the arc of the covenant representing the presence of God. Trusting, waiting, watching. Joshua reminds them to spend time setting themselves apart from all the distraction in anticipation of what God is doing.

Joshua gives Gods instruction to the priests to start moving the arc towards the Jordan River. I’m trying to imagine the priests dipping their toes into the shores of the water. Taking the first steps of faith before they could see the miracle. Trusting that Joshua knew what he was doing and moving forward. Carrying the presence of God in the ark to the shores of the Jordan with millions of people behind them waiting and trusting that the thing they were doing was not crazy. How wet did their feet get before they noticed a change in the tide? At what point did they realize what was happening and feel the surge of adrenaline as their trust materialized in the miracle before them. The flow of water was stopped by the mighty hand of God when they faithfully stepped to the shore. The people of God were allowed to walk on dry ground to the other side. Miracle!

How am I consecrating or sanctifying myself today for the miracle that will come tomorrow? Do I have faith and trust the miracle will come or am I anxious about the future?

Today, because of Jesus, we have the presence of God with us all the time. We have personal access to the creator of the universe who has miracles in store.  Miracles come in all shapes and sizes. From a full night of sleep for this worrier of a mother to her nonverbal toddler finding his words. The common denominator is miracles point us towards Gods plan.  As I spend time with God (consecrating, sanctifying myself) my mind is transformed to His ways and I can get my toes wet to see the miracle.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Todays Reading: Joshua 1; Proverbs 1

Be Courageous

Todays Reading Joshua 1; Proverbs 1

It is a pleasure and privilege to introduce the New Year to you. I am truly thankful to have the opportunity to start the biblejournal with you. We are starting a new journey this year beginning with the book of Joshua. In this first chapter of Joshua the main theme that resonated with me was “Be Courageous”.   The journey that comes with each New Year is one that is filled with excitement, anticipation, hesitation, and some anxiety. As we work our way into Joshua we are presented with a new journey that is filled with the same trepidations and hopes.

The message of hope comes in the first verses of Joshua. Joshua 1: 6-9

⁶ Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. ⁷ Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success^[a] wherever you go. ⁸ This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

The first chapter Joshua, we are presented with “Be strong and courageous” four times in the introduction of the chapter. This makes me want to dig deeper into the true definition of courage. Courage is defined as by Webster as the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. I have often used courage when speaking with others as being brave, but the portion that I have not experienced is the true definition in the face of danger, fear and difficulty.

The people of Israel are faced with true fear and danger as they are going into the Promised Land a glimpse of the magnitude of this is in Numbers 13. Moses sent spies into the region close to the Promise Land before they went in.

Number 13: 17-20; 23-24

¹⁷ Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan and said to them, “Go up into the Negeb and go up into the hill country, ¹⁸ and see what the land is, and whether the people who dwell in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many,¹⁹ and whether the land that they dwell in is good or bad, and whether the cities that they dwell in are camps or strongholds, ²⁰ and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the season of the first ripe grapes.

²³ And they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; they also brought some pomegranates and figs.²⁴ That place was called the Valley of Eshcol,^[a] because of the cluster that the people of Israel cut down from there.

 

The people of Israel are going into the land of plenty and they are somewhat fearful, but God is speaking to the people to be encouraged. The message for us today is prepare and be encouraged for the journey of the New Year. We have experienced many difficulties, hardships, and trials this past year, but we have to be encouraged and believe that there are things that are waiting for us are so amazing that we would not be able to explain, like a single cluster of grapes that takes two men to carry. Let us face this New Year with courage and boldness and allow God the Spirit to take us over this Jordan to the land of plenty.

 

Happy New Year