16 April, 2005
Quote for the day . . .
"If a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live." - Martin Luther King
15 April, 2005
T shirt ideas...
"To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps" 1 Peter 2:21
I just a had a crazy idea of a t-shirt design, something with sandals or footprints of Christ serving as a reminder to walk in his footsteps down the path of courage and passion
Joshua 6-7
Joshua 6
On the other side of the Jordan, Jericho before them, God told Joshua and the Israelites His battle plans. Marching around the city once for six days, and then on the seventh day, trumpet blasts followed by shouts and the walls of this mighty fortress fell. Notice, there were no battering rams, or heavy equipment, just obedience to God's Word.
Observation: Sometimes trusting God, really taking Him at His Word will push us into unchartered waters. He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8)
Joshua 6-7
Part of the plan to plunder the great fortified city of Jericho was to make sure that they kept away from the devoted things, so that they will not bring destruction on themselves. All the silver and gold and articles of bronze were to go into the Lord's treasury.
One man (Achan) coveted material possessions, which made the whole nation guilty and Joshua deals with this man's sin according to what the Lord told him.
Before we get to Achan's death, Joshua sends out the troops into battle and they are defeated and Joshua not knowing that Achan had sinned, falls face down before God and prays. (7:6-9). This text spoke to me of the passion and courage it takes to go before God in prayer. Sure some of us have approached prayer lightly, but let us never forget that when we pray, we enter the throne room of God. We go where no man before us was ever able to go. Sure Isaiah caught a glimpse of God in a vision, Ezekiel, spoke of things almost to wonderful for paper, and John was ovrewhelmed with what He saw. When we pray, we are in the presence of the Almighty.
I am not sure where I am going with this, but the spritual disciplines seem to keeping surfacing in my mind (meditation, prayer, fasting, etc.,) Courage and Passion are needed to go deep with God.
Another thought from Joshua 7
We know that Achan' sin found him out. He admitted that he had coveted material wordly wealth (7:20-21). It took great courage and passion for Joshua and the community of Israel to deal with the sin among them. And Achan serves as a warning to us to not love the world or anything in the world. James 4:4 puts it this way, "you adulterous people, don't you know that friendship wit the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."
It takes passion and courage to be a friend of God. James calls Abraham a friend of God (James 2:23). Daring to be people of passion and courage will demand that we are different from our neighbors. Not a holier than thou attitude, but "I am sold out to Jesus Christ, no matter what" attitude.
On the other side of the Jordan, Jericho before them, God told Joshua and the Israelites His battle plans. Marching around the city once for six days, and then on the seventh day, trumpet blasts followed by shouts and the walls of this mighty fortress fell. Notice, there were no battering rams, or heavy equipment, just obedience to God's Word.
Observation: Sometimes trusting God, really taking Him at His Word will push us into unchartered waters. He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8)
Joshua 6-7
Part of the plan to plunder the great fortified city of Jericho was to make sure that they kept away from the devoted things, so that they will not bring destruction on themselves. All the silver and gold and articles of bronze were to go into the Lord's treasury.
One man (Achan) coveted material possessions, which made the whole nation guilty and Joshua deals with this man's sin according to what the Lord told him.
Before we get to Achan's death, Joshua sends out the troops into battle and they are defeated and Joshua not knowing that Achan had sinned, falls face down before God and prays. (7:6-9). This text spoke to me of the passion and courage it takes to go before God in prayer. Sure some of us have approached prayer lightly, but let us never forget that when we pray, we enter the throne room of God. We go where no man before us was ever able to go. Sure Isaiah caught a glimpse of God in a vision, Ezekiel, spoke of things almost to wonderful for paper, and John was ovrewhelmed with what He saw. When we pray, we are in the presence of the Almighty.
I am not sure where I am going with this, but the spritual disciplines seem to keeping surfacing in my mind (meditation, prayer, fasting, etc.,) Courage and Passion are needed to go deep with God.
Another thought from Joshua 7
We know that Achan' sin found him out. He admitted that he had coveted material wordly wealth (7:20-21). It took great courage and passion for Joshua and the community of Israel to deal with the sin among them. And Achan serves as a warning to us to not love the world or anything in the world. James 4:4 puts it this way, "you adulterous people, don't you know that friendship wit the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."
It takes passion and courage to be a friend of God. James calls Abraham a friend of God (James 2:23). Daring to be people of passion and courage will demand that we are different from our neighbors. Not a holier than thou attitude, but "I am sold out to Jesus Christ, no matter what" attitude.
Courage and Passion in Acts 3-5
I know we could find many pertinent stories in Acts, but two jump out at me initially.
1. Acts 3:1-4:31 -- Peter and John are told to stop talking about Jesus, and the fire and passion that burned within them blazed uncontrollably in their hearts and they couldn't keep quiet about Jesus and what He had done
2. Acts 5
The Apostles are arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin, told to stop again, beaten severly because they wouldn't shut up about Jesus, and then leave rejoicing that they were considered worthy to share in suffering for the name.
How refreshing a contrast is that in our day and age?! Not ashamed to share Christ in a world that is hostile to truth choosing to take God at His word over being intimidated by beatings, name-calling and the like.
It takes courage and passion to choose to share the name of Christ with our non-christian peers. Only may we be as bold and courageous as these early disciples were. Something so stirred the early church to talk about Jesus all the time. The gospel indeed has the power to change lives. Will we be courageous enough to share its passion and grandeur?
1. Acts 3:1-4:31 -- Peter and John are told to stop talking about Jesus, and the fire and passion that burned within them blazed uncontrollably in their hearts and they couldn't keep quiet about Jesus and what He had done
2. Acts 5
The Apostles are arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin, told to stop again, beaten severly because they wouldn't shut up about Jesus, and then leave rejoicing that they were considered worthy to share in suffering for the name.
How refreshing a contrast is that in our day and age?! Not ashamed to share Christ in a world that is hostile to truth choosing to take God at His word over being intimidated by beatings, name-calling and the like.
It takes courage and passion to choose to share the name of Christ with our non-christian peers. Only may we be as bold and courageous as these early disciples were. Something so stirred the early church to talk about Jesus all the time. The gospel indeed has the power to change lives. Will we be courageous enough to share its passion and grandeur?
Quote for the day . . .
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear--not absence of fear. Consider the flea! Incomparably the bravest of all the creatures of God, if ignorance of fear were courage." - Mark Twain
14 April, 2005
The fortress of Jericho
Has it ever struck you as odd that Joshua places a curse on a city in his own land? Why would you place a curse on the first piece of land which you took into possession? Either Hiel didn't know the story of the curse, or he didn't take the stories of his people very seriously, because he ignored the curse at a very high cost (I Kings 16.34).
There are several good reasons for Joshua's action. First, he was wise enough to know that there would be some who would think that this was an ideal spot and stop to rebuild and live. Long live the status quo! After all, most cities in the middle east are not built on new ground, but from the rubble of pre-existing cities. After 40 years in the wilderness, this place had to look good. But the people of Israel still had far too much territory to conquer to put down roots yet.
Or it could be that he was concerned that they would be tempted to rebuild the fortress and try to hide out in it when things got tough. But God has never been inclined to have a fortress mentality. Fortresses are what people trust in when they don't trust quite enough in God. His people are, when they behave as courageously as he would have them behave, marching at the gates of their enemies.
This is an important lesson for our kids to learn as leaders of the church. The church was never designed to have a fortress mentality, a defense of the status quo, with arrows for those who dare to march outside, but within bowshot. Instead, the church is intended to attack the very gates of hell, gate by gate.
There are several good reasons for Joshua's action. First, he was wise enough to know that there would be some who would think that this was an ideal spot and stop to rebuild and live. Long live the status quo! After all, most cities in the middle east are not built on new ground, but from the rubble of pre-existing cities. After 40 years in the wilderness, this place had to look good. But the people of Israel still had far too much territory to conquer to put down roots yet.
Or it could be that he was concerned that they would be tempted to rebuild the fortress and try to hide out in it when things got tough. But God has never been inclined to have a fortress mentality. Fortresses are what people trust in when they don't trust quite enough in God. His people are, when they behave as courageously as he would have them behave, marching at the gates of their enemies.
This is an important lesson for our kids to learn as leaders of the church. The church was never designed to have a fortress mentality, a defense of the status quo, with arrows for those who dare to march outside, but within bowshot. Instead, the church is intended to attack the very gates of hell, gate by gate.
"...for the place you are standing is holy." Joshua 5:15 part II
A couple of other things we did while we were there that were experiential were to go to different stations.
For example, one station was a cross where we read Matthew 27:32-44, and we were to imagine ourself at the scene. What is going through your mind? The sin of all human beings made Jesus go the cross, not the Roman soldiers who arrested and heat him. His love for sinful human beings held him there. He could have answered the taunts by calling the angels of heaven to bring him down, but he didn't, he chose to stay.
Near you are several pieces of paper and pens. Think of a sin in your life, possibly something terrible you have done in the past or something you should have done but didn't, possibly an attitude your heart tells you is disappointing to God. Write it down on a piece of paper.
Fold the paper in half. Pick up a hammer and a nail. Nail your sin to the cross of Jesus. As you nail it, think about how your sins were nailed to the cross that day in history. With each stroke, remember Jesus' words: "It is finished." He bore the pain of the cross os you could be forgiven and set free from slavery to your sin.
Other ways to spend time at the cross: simply praising God, reading, and resting in Scriptures, sitting in silence reflecting, submitting to Christ (Luke 9:23).
This is just a sample of a few experiential things that we got participate in.
I think something like this might work well with our campers.
For example, one station was a cross where we read Matthew 27:32-44, and we were to imagine ourself at the scene. What is going through your mind? The sin of all human beings made Jesus go the cross, not the Roman soldiers who arrested and heat him. His love for sinful human beings held him there. He could have answered the taunts by calling the angels of heaven to bring him down, but he didn't, he chose to stay.
Near you are several pieces of paper and pens. Think of a sin in your life, possibly something terrible you have done in the past or something you should have done but didn't, possibly an attitude your heart tells you is disappointing to God. Write it down on a piece of paper.
Fold the paper in half. Pick up a hammer and a nail. Nail your sin to the cross of Jesus. As you nail it, think about how your sins were nailed to the cross that day in history. With each stroke, remember Jesus' words: "It is finished." He bore the pain of the cross os you could be forgiven and set free from slavery to your sin.
Other ways to spend time at the cross: simply praising God, reading, and resting in Scriptures, sitting in silence reflecting, submitting to Christ (Luke 9:23).
This is just a sample of a few experiential things that we got participate in.
I think something like this might work well with our campers.
"...for the place you are standing is holy." Joshua 5:15
I had mentioned it to Steve earlier, but thought I would use this forum for another mention.
At Winterfest this year, we got to some contemplative worship experiences.
The adult class participated with lectio divina (prayer meditative reading) -- I have used this practice with my teens in our Tuesday night Bible studies, and they love it.
An Ancient Way of Praying with Scripture
Lectio Divina refers in Latin to the practice of "divine reading." This form of spiritual reading originated in the Benedictine tradition and involves a deeply personal and prayerful encounter with the presence of God through sacred scripture. Lectio invites us to listen to the word of God with our whole being and our longing to be touched, healed and transformed by the Holy Spirit.
In order to practice lectio divina, select a time and place that is peaceful and in which you may be alert and prayerfully attentive. Dispose yourself for prayer in whatever way is natural for you. This may be a spoken prayer to God to open you more fully to the Spirit, a gentle relaxation process that focuses on breathing, singing or chanting, or simply a few minutes of silence to empty yourself of thoughts, images, and emotions.
Reading (lectio) - Slowly begin reading a biblical passage as if it were a long awaited love letter addressed to you. Approach it reverentially and expectantly, in a way that savors each word and phrase. Read the passage until you hear a word or phrase that touches you, resonates, attracts or even disturbs you.
Reflecting (meditatio) - Ponder this word or phrase for a few minutes. Let it sink in slowly and deeply until you are resting in it. Listen for what the word or phrase is saying to you at this moment in your life, what it may be offering to you, what it may be demanding of you.
Expressing (oratio) - When you feel ready, openly and honestly express to God the prayers that arise spontaneously within you from your experience of this word or phrase. These may be prayers of thanksgiving, petition, intercession, lament, or praise.
Resting (contemplatio) - Allow yourself to simply rest silently with God for a time in the stillness of your heart remaining open to the quiet fullness of God's love and peace. This is like the silence of communion between the mother holding her sleeping infant child or between lovers whose communication with each other passes beyond words.
These four movements of lectio divina may not always follow a linear progression. Allow yourself freedom and pray as you can. The aim is to move into the depths of silence and stillness where we can hear the Word spoken to us in love and respond to this Word with our love and our life. This is a gentle invitation into a movement from silence into the Word and back into silence, dwelling there in the presence of God.
At Winterfest this year, we got to some contemplative worship experiences.
The adult class participated with lectio divina (prayer meditative reading) -- I have used this practice with my teens in our Tuesday night Bible studies, and they love it.
An Ancient Way of Praying with Scripture
Lectio Divina refers in Latin to the practice of "divine reading." This form of spiritual reading originated in the Benedictine tradition and involves a deeply personal and prayerful encounter with the presence of God through sacred scripture. Lectio invites us to listen to the word of God with our whole being and our longing to be touched, healed and transformed by the Holy Spirit.
In order to practice lectio divina, select a time and place that is peaceful and in which you may be alert and prayerfully attentive. Dispose yourself for prayer in whatever way is natural for you. This may be a spoken prayer to God to open you more fully to the Spirit, a gentle relaxation process that focuses on breathing, singing or chanting, or simply a few minutes of silence to empty yourself of thoughts, images, and emotions.
Reading (lectio) - Slowly begin reading a biblical passage as if it were a long awaited love letter addressed to you. Approach it reverentially and expectantly, in a way that savors each word and phrase. Read the passage until you hear a word or phrase that touches you, resonates, attracts or even disturbs you.
Reflecting (meditatio) - Ponder this word or phrase for a few minutes. Let it sink in slowly and deeply until you are resting in it. Listen for what the word or phrase is saying to you at this moment in your life, what it may be offering to you, what it may be demanding of you.
Expressing (oratio) - When you feel ready, openly and honestly express to God the prayers that arise spontaneously within you from your experience of this word or phrase. These may be prayers of thanksgiving, petition, intercession, lament, or praise.
Resting (contemplatio) - Allow yourself to simply rest silently with God for a time in the stillness of your heart remaining open to the quiet fullness of God's love and peace. This is like the silence of communion between the mother holding her sleeping infant child or between lovers whose communication with each other passes beyond words.
These four movements of lectio divina may not always follow a linear progression. Allow yourself freedom and pray as you can. The aim is to move into the depths of silence and stillness where we can hear the Word spoken to us in love and respond to this Word with our love and our life. This is a gentle invitation into a movement from silence into the Word and back into silence, dwelling there in the presence of God.
Quote for the day . . .
"You have to have a gang of believers, folks who can take on the resistance and share in some of the courageous acts with you. Otherwise, it's too lonely and you can't make it." - Noel Tichy
13 April, 2005
The foundation of faith legacy : "Celebration, consecration, and conquest"
Again, more notes from this year's youth minister conference via Reg Cox
-Celebration transforms us
-we are poor at celebration
-But celebrating the micro-steps plunges us forward, it gives us strength today
Why celebrate?
-It transforms our character
-Celebration and thanksgiving build our character. It takes our eyes (focus) off what we do not have, and places our focus, our trust and hope on what we do have
-Slave thinking has got to be eradicated from our lives, before there is crossing
4 Stages in transformation : foundation for faith legacy
1. commeration (4:1) Remembering with respect
-involved standing stones "masseboth" (mass E bah)
-commeration involves celebration
-archaeologists discovered over 167 "masseboth" pile of stones ---> commerate
These stone piles were erected for two reasons:
a. sign of a covenant between 2 groups
b. to evoke questions, to stimulate stories
-Joshua 4 -- "the masseboth" is a testimony of the power of God
(just a note here: I thought it would be neat if each day somewhere in the day, if we could collectively assemble a masseboth to commerate what God has done for us each day while we are camp and let it serve as a perpetual reminder of God's working at LU JO!!)
-600 years of waiting, the nation now commerates the fulfillment of God's promises
2. The crossing (4:10 ff)
-the crossing signals the shift in character, identity
-4:13 -- on the west side of the Jordan -- no longer idenitfied by the cruel things done to them in the past
3. Confirmation:
-to verify, to establish the certainty of
-Joshua 8:30-35 -- the confirmation involved the whole nation
-faith legacy is borne sustained by the Word of God
-"Renewing our vows" if you will
-They affirmed their desire to be God's and God's alone!
4. Consercration: to be set apart as sacred (:5:2 ff) [Ron does a great job reflecting on this weird male bonding moment]
-Most challenging
-Set themselves apart as different, embarassing, bloody buisness
-God renamed the place to signify that He rolled way the shame of Egypt "Gilgal"
-Celebration transforms us
-we are poor at celebration
-But celebrating the micro-steps plunges us forward, it gives us strength today
Why celebrate?
-It transforms our character
-Celebration and thanksgiving build our character. It takes our eyes (focus) off what we do not have, and places our focus, our trust and hope on what we do have
-Slave thinking has got to be eradicated from our lives, before there is crossing
4 Stages in transformation : foundation for faith legacy
1. commeration (4:1) Remembering with respect
-involved standing stones "masseboth" (mass E bah)
-commeration involves celebration
-archaeologists discovered over 167 "masseboth" pile of stones ---> commerate
These stone piles were erected for two reasons:
a. sign of a covenant between 2 groups
b. to evoke questions, to stimulate stories
-Joshua 4 -- "the masseboth" is a testimony of the power of God
(just a note here: I thought it would be neat if each day somewhere in the day, if we could collectively assemble a masseboth to commerate what God has done for us each day while we are camp and let it serve as a perpetual reminder of God's working at LU JO!!)
-600 years of waiting, the nation now commerates the fulfillment of God's promises
2. The crossing (4:10 ff)
-the crossing signals the shift in character, identity
-4:13 -- on the west side of the Jordan -- no longer idenitfied by the cruel things done to them in the past
3. Confirmation:
-to verify, to establish the certainty of
-Joshua 8:30-35 -- the confirmation involved the whole nation
-faith legacy is borne sustained by the Word of God
-"Renewing our vows" if you will
-They affirmed their desire to be God's and God's alone!
4. Consercration: to be set apart as sacred (:5:2 ff) [Ron does a great job reflecting on this weird male bonding moment]
-Most challenging
-Set themselves apart as different, embarassing, bloody buisness
-God renamed the place to signify that He rolled way the shame of Egypt "Gilgal"
More thoughts from Joshua
Again more notes from the conference via Reg Cox:
More about Joshua
-aid to Moses
-military leader -- a good one
-had a special connection to God's Word (Ex 17:14)
-first person whose faith is shaped by the written word
-He is our direct faith ancestor
Joshua 1-3
God desires a presence in our lives
The conquest of the promised land presents a faith problem
- God made a promise 600 years earlier to Abraham, the land was theirs but it would require effort on their part
The question is bound to be asked, why the 600 years between the promise and the fulfillment?
3 faith tests
-foundation for faith legacy begins in our hearts and we see this in the story of Joshua and the Israelites in three faith tests
1.courage
2. cunning
3. crossing
1. God leads Joshua to a private test of spiritual trust
"Moses my servant is dead" -- God's power doesn't die with his leaders
-the private test : "Are you ready to trust my leadership and my word Joshua?"
-Will you step out into the risk even if it costs you?
-Johsua 1:3 -- "I will give you every place where your foot touches"
-the word give requires risk, action, and radical trust
2. God leads Joshua to a public test of spiritual trust
-Joshua 2:1 -- Back in "Shittim" - Nu. 25 Israelites men had sex with Moabite women and bowed down to their gods
-Now in Johsua 2:1 God brings them back to a place of former failure and Joshua sends two spies and they go to a prostitutes house and everyone in Jericho knows where the spies went
-the spies stay gone for three days (Joshua was told in three days they were leaving)
-the spies show up in the last minute
3. God leads Joshua and the people to a test of faith
-Joshua 3 -- 600 years of hope in an unseen promise hangs on the faith of one trusting man
-Application: Circumstances may appear overwhelming, but despite what it looks like, God wants us to trust Him and what He says
-On one side of the Jordan, the people were bricklaying boot kissers -- one step in the river transforms the people, this moment literally transforms the nation
More about Joshua
-aid to Moses
-military leader -- a good one
-had a special connection to God's Word (Ex 17:14)
-first person whose faith is shaped by the written word
-He is our direct faith ancestor
Joshua 1-3
God desires a presence in our lives
The conquest of the promised land presents a faith problem
- God made a promise 600 years earlier to Abraham, the land was theirs but it would require effort on their part
The question is bound to be asked, why the 600 years between the promise and the fulfillment?
3 faith tests
-foundation for faith legacy begins in our hearts and we see this in the story of Joshua and the Israelites in three faith tests
1.courage
2. cunning
3. crossing
1. God leads Joshua to a private test of spiritual trust
"Moses my servant is dead" -- God's power doesn't die with his leaders
-the private test : "Are you ready to trust my leadership and my word Joshua?"
-Will you step out into the risk even if it costs you?
-Johsua 1:3 -- "I will give you every place where your foot touches"
-the word give requires risk, action, and radical trust
2. God leads Joshua to a public test of spiritual trust
-Joshua 2:1 -- Back in "Shittim" - Nu. 25 Israelites men had sex with Moabite women and bowed down to their gods
-Now in Johsua 2:1 God brings them back to a place of former failure and Joshua sends two spies and they go to a prostitutes house and everyone in Jericho knows where the spies went
-the spies stay gone for three days (Joshua was told in three days they were leaving)
-the spies show up in the last minute
3. God leads Joshua and the people to a test of faith
-Joshua 3 -- 600 years of hope in an unseen promise hangs on the faith of one trusting man
-Application: Circumstances may appear overwhelming, but despite what it looks like, God wants us to trust Him and what He says
-On one side of the Jordan, the people were bricklaying boot kissers -- one step in the river transforms the people, this moment literally transforms the nation
Notes from this years NCYM
Excuse my zeal here, but I had to share some of notes I was able to take at this year's NCYM (the National Conference on Youth Ministries).
These notes are from Reg Cox's morning devotional times.
What we learn from Joshua:
-He is more impressed with the size of God than the size of the enemy
-He wasn't afraid to face a fight in order to proclaim the promises of God.
-He realized that fear is rebellion...an indictment against God's love
-Joshua given his name -- defines his character; "God is salvation"
These notes are from Reg Cox's morning devotional times.
What we learn from Joshua:
-He is more impressed with the size of God than the size of the enemy
-He wasn't afraid to face a fight in order to proclaim the promises of God.
-He realized that fear is rebellion...an indictment against God's love
-Joshua given his name -- defines his character; "God is salvation"
Men and weird bonding experiences
So they cross the river and scare the living daylights out of every king in Canaan (Josh 5). What do they do next? Nothing I've ever heard of any other army ever doing. They stop and circumcise every single one of them. Even though they allow time for recovery, in a sense, every warrior in the battle begins wounded (think about that).
The first reaction is to see this as some sort of weird male bonding experience (but what human male would pick this one?). For women who think MBE's are strange, perhaps they ought consider their own (see Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood). And our good Bible answer prompts us to say, God had them to do this so that they could be a holy people, and that is true. But what is a holy people? Literally a holy people is a nation set apart, marked for special service.
After this day, every last man in Israel could say that they had experienced the same thing, and not only that, they had experienced it together. They were marked, so that if captured in battle there would be no denying that they were Israelite. No need for an interrogation when an examination will do. But nothing spurs humanity to courage more than the realization that we are not in this alone. We draw strength from each other, and we fear disappointing each other and that urges us on.
Now, circumcision does not equal baptism. But our baptism marks us as a people set apart, a people with our story. Let us draw courage from each other, and from the memory that we stand with every other person who has ever obeyed God in this way (including Jesus, the Christ).
The first reaction is to see this as some sort of weird male bonding experience (but what human male would pick this one?). For women who think MBE's are strange, perhaps they ought consider their own (see Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood). And our good Bible answer prompts us to say, God had them to do this so that they could be a holy people, and that is true. But what is a holy people? Literally a holy people is a nation set apart, marked for special service.
After this day, every last man in Israel could say that they had experienced the same thing, and not only that, they had experienced it together. They were marked, so that if captured in battle there would be no denying that they were Israelite. No need for an interrogation when an examination will do. But nothing spurs humanity to courage more than the realization that we are not in this alone. We draw strength from each other, and we fear disappointing each other and that urges us on.
Now, circumcision does not equal baptism. But our baptism marks us as a people set apart, a people with our story. Let us draw courage from each other, and from the memory that we stand with every other person who has ever obeyed God in this way (including Jesus, the Christ).
Passionate leadership and humble service
Joshua doesn't just pop up in the story, making a sudden appearance from nowhere. Not content to be one of the faithful spies on the first Israeli espionage mission, he ministers to Moses throughout Moses' career as a leader (Num 1124-34; Ex 24.12-14, 33.7-11). The same Hebrew word (sharet) is used to describe Joshua's role as a minister as is used about Joseph's service under Potiphar (Gen 39), Samuel's service under Eli (1 Sam 3.1), and Elisha's service to Elijah (1 Kings 19:19-21ff).
God has demonstrated a habit of developing passionate and courageous leadership by placing young people, in the role of a servant, with passionate and courageous people.
Perhaps our hope and prayer ought to be that, for at least one week if not longer, God can use us as mentors to the passionate and courageous leadership that even now emerges from his church.
God has demonstrated a habit of developing passionate and courageous leadership by placing young people, in the role of a servant, with passionate and courageous people.
Perhaps our hope and prayer ought to be that, for at least one week if not longer, God can use us as mentors to the passionate and courageous leadership that even now emerges from his church.
Our place in the story
God deliberately communicates to Joshua an awareness of his place in the story of God's people, in history. Not only does God speak to Joshua through Moses' words (Deut 31:22-23), but he hammers home the message in a personal communication (Josh 1.1-9). In short, "Remember the promise, remember how I was with Moses, because now I am going to be with you and use you as a tool to bring about this promise. I am going to use you to change history. Now that you understand this, be strong and courageous."
This is precisely where passion and courage come in. When we understand our place in the story, passion and courage are required. When God's children truly see the possibillities that God places before them to change the world, the godly response of their heart is the passion that drives them to pursue that dream, that opportunity for God to glorify himself through them.
At the same time, when that dream is tested (and God will allow it to be), courage is what is required to persevere. Our passion pushes us to finish the course even though it presents obstacles that our vision (but not God's) did not allow us to see at the beginning. Our godly courage keeps us in the boat precisely when the human part of us wants to bail.
Let's try to find our place in the story, and for our children's sake, let's help them to passionately seek and courageously discover their place (it won't be the same as ours) as well.
This is precisely where passion and courage come in. When we understand our place in the story, passion and courage are required. When God's children truly see the possibillities that God places before them to change the world, the godly response of their heart is the passion that drives them to pursue that dream, that opportunity for God to glorify himself through them.
At the same time, when that dream is tested (and God will allow it to be), courage is what is required to persevere. Our passion pushes us to finish the course even though it presents obstacles that our vision (but not God's) did not allow us to see at the beginning. Our godly courage keeps us in the boat precisely when the human part of us wants to bail.
Let's try to find our place in the story, and for our children's sake, let's help them to passionately seek and courageously discover their place (it won't be the same as ours) as well.
Interesting parallels
"Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel: "Be strong and bold, for you are the one who will go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their ancestors to give them; and you will put them in possession of it. It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." - Deut 31.7-8 NRSV
"I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!" - Ps 27.13-14 NRSV
"But you, gird up your loins; stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not break down before them, or I will break you before them. And I for my part have made you today a fortified city, an iron pilllar, and a bronze wall, against the whole land--against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you." - Jer 1:17-19 NRSV
"I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!" - Ps 27.13-14 NRSV
"But you, gird up your loins; stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not break down before them, or I will break you before them. And I for my part have made you today a fortified city, an iron pilllar, and a bronze wall, against the whole land--against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you." - Jer 1:17-19 NRSV
12 April, 2005
10 April, 2005
A suggestion for us
A number of outstanding ideas are already on the table. To help us better work with the concepts we have and further develop them, I suggest that we all do our best to read through the book of Joshua this week. It is not a huge text, but it is rich. Such a foundation for the beginning of our work will, I think, help us make good use of the building materials already on the site, and those you will be soon placing here.
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