Category Archives: Joshua

¹⁴ “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua 24:14-15

Dear God, here is another one that I assume Bible Gateway chose for election day. There are so many people who have made an idol out of this day. A pastor, writing about the days leading up to the 2012 election yesterday to our local ministerial association, wrote, “…each place I went, it was the same. There was someone saying, ‘If ______ doesn’t win EVERYTHING [emphasis his] is over.’ It didn’t get better at my next stop: ‘Unless _______ , we are doomed.’ On both sides, the anxiety was palpable, and being the anxiety magnet that I am, by the time I left the office, I was carrying not only my own fears, but what felt like a whole community’s.”

Later he wrote after describing going away to a place in nature, “…something strange happened. I became aware of a voice. I didn’t hear it through my ears, but in my body. It was a voice telling me, ‘I’ve seen a few of these before…You are going to be alright.'”

It is so easy for us to put our hope in ourselves, our societal constructs like government, and in anyone who promises to keep us safe, fat, and happy. The interesting things about you as our God is that you don’t really promise us those things. You don’t promise us physical safety. You don’t promise us food. You don’t promise to fulfill our wildest desires. The only thing you promise is that a relationship with you will nurture our souls. If we attach our branch to your vine and till the soil to root out the thorns (aka, the cares of this world), then you will bear fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, kindness, and self control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, that’s why I’m here this morning. I’ve voted, but I am not going to concern myself with who is going to win elections today. I am one of over 300 million people in this country. I am not as important as my ego would like to be. I am one of 27,000 people in the county where I live. I am not as important as my ego would like to be. So help me to just be a source of your Spirit living in this community. Your people are your Plan A and you do not have a Plan B. Help me to be the best part of your Plan A that I can be–for your glory alone.

I pray this through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus,

Amen

“All right then,” Joshua said, “destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” The people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God. We will obey him alone.”
Joshua 24:23-24

Dear God, it’s always good to do a repeated inventory of my idols. They slip in when I’m not looking. I think they fall into two major categories: things that take my time and attention and things that make me feel secure and safe.

The problem with the things that take my time and attention is that they keep me from doing the things you have for me to do. For example, watching too many videos on YouTube is probably an idol to some extent. That habit keeps me from loving you with all of my heart, mind, and strength. How productive could I be in the things you lay on my heart if I were to remove that idol?

Then there are the idols that bring me false senses of security. I’ve talked about these before. They range from my bank accounts, to my job and the money it provides my wife and me, to the economy, to law and order, to our military. Then there are the cultural things that can threaten me and my sense of security. If I wonder what exactly they are, all I have to do is watch any news channel of any political persuasion and identify what they want me to fear at any given moment. It is those things that can become my idols. They include either side of issues like racism, the border, crime, political power (I probably should have led with that one), abortion/right to choose, etc. The news organizations have identified the things that will attract our eyeballs, and those things are usually idols.

Father, I know I have idols in both categories. I’m sorry. Please help me to identify them one by one and purge them from my life. I want to love you with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. I also want to love my neighbor as myself. Please be gentle with me as I go through this process.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you— from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:1-9

Dear God, sometimes I forget to be strong and courageous. I can be timid and fearful. I can be too cautious as I evaluate all of my options. To be sure, this command to Joshua is not to be reckless, but courageous. Not to be dominating, but strong.

As I go into this day of work, help me to be mindful of this speech to Joshua as he took over for Moses. Help me to do it all under your leadership, following your rules of engagement. Help me to be strong and courageous, working with both compassion and appropriate justice. Be glorified through me so that your will might be done and your kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

1 After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant. He said, ² “Moses my servant is dead. Therefore, the time has come for you to lead these people, the Israelites, across the Jordan River into the land I am giving them. ³ I promise you what I promised Moses: ‘Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you— ⁴ from the Negev wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north, from the Euphrates River in the east to the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including all the land of the Hittites.’ ⁵ No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.

⁶ “Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. ⁷ Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. ⁸ Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. ⁹ This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:1-9

Dear God, a dear friend posted a picture of her daughter getting ready for her first day of 4th grade today and said that the daughter was nervous. Apparently, however, the daughter has been memorizing Joshua 1:9: This is my command–be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

I decided I wanted to look at that verse and put it in context. Who is talking? Why are they saying it?

Well, it’s you talking. And you have a message for the newly appointed leader of Israel post Moses’s death, Joshua. You are telling him:

1. It’s time to get going into the Promised Land.
2. You are going to give them great success and help them inhabit the land completely.
3. Be strong and courageous (verse 6) because I’ve chosen you to lead Israel through this time.
4. Be strong and courageous (verse 7) and make sure you obey me (this will become important later).
5. Study the Book of Instruction (are these the things Moses got from you in Exodus when he and Joshua went up to the mountain and Moses disappeared into the fire?).
6. Finally, be strong and courageous (verse 9). Do not be afraid or discouraged because I’m with you.

For this little girl, it’s time to go to school. It’s go-time. You will be with her so she should be strong and courageous. And I know her parents will encourage her to study our version of the “Book of Instruction” (the Bible) and to obey your commands. They are wonderful people.

As for me, I know you want me to be strong and courageous, but what exactly do you want me to do? There are seemingly so many possibilities at work. I could lead our nonprofit in any number of directions. What are you calling us to do? What is our Promised Land? I think that sometimes we can get ourselves into trouble trying to create a Promised Land and not waiting on your timing. It’s a fine line. In Joshua’s case, because of Israel’s rebellion, you had to wait until Moses and his generation were gone. He was ready to be strong and courageous back when he and Caleb were spies with the other 10, but only they were ready to take the land. He was strong and courageous, but he also wasn’t the person at the top. It’s easier to be strong and courageous when there is someone above you who has the ultimate responsibility. It might have been a little harder for him to gather that strength and courage since he was not in charg.

Father, keep me from being foolish, but also keep me from being lethargic. Help me to be strong and courageous at work and in my personal life. Lead through me. Guide through me. Love through me. Bring your kingdom to earth and your will to earth through my life and the life of your church. Make me just one of billions who will represent you to our neighbors.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

Then Joshua summoned all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, including their elders, leaders, judges, and officers. So they came and presented themselves to God. Joshua said to the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Long ago your ancestors, including Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River, and they worshiped other gods. But I took your ancestor Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him into the land of Canaan. I gave him many descendants through his son Isaac. To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the mountains of Seir, while Jacob and his children went down into Egypt. “Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I brought terrible plagues on Egypt; and afterward I brought you out as a free people. But when your ancestors arrived at the Red Sea, the Egyptians chased after you with chariots and charioteers. When your ancestors cried out to the Lord, I put darkness between you and the Egyptians. I brought the sea crashing down on the Egyptians, drowning them. With your very own eyes you saw what I did. Then you lived in the wilderness for many years. “Finally, I brought you into the land of the Amorites on the east side of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I destroyed them before you. I gave you victory over them, and you took possession of their land. Then Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, started a war against Israel. He summoned Balaam son of Beor to curse you, but I would not listen to him. Instead, I made Balaam bless you, and so I rescued you from Balak. “When you crossed the Jordan River and came to Jericho, the men of Jericho fought against you, as did the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. But I gave you victory over them. And I sent terror ahead of you to drive out the two kings of the Amorites. It was not your swords or bows that brought you victory. I gave you land you had not worked on, and I gave you towns you did not build—the towns where you are now living. I gave you vineyards and olive groves for food, though you did not plant them. “So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord .”
Joshua 24:1-15

Dear God, it’s always important to remember what you’ve done and who you are as we try to figure out what you might be asking of us next. There are a couple of reasons for this:

1. The most important one is that it reminds us of your faithfulness to us. It will strengthen our faith to remember what you’ve done before.
2. It might show us a pattern as to what direction you’ve pushed us in the past and how you might be directing us for the future.
3. It will stir gratitude and worship within us.
4. If we share it with others, it will testify to them and hopefully increase their faith.

That’s just off of the top of my head. There are probably many other reasons. In this case, Joshua didn’t just get up and say, “Choose today whom you will serve…” He laid out his case with evidence of not only your faithfulness, but also of your ability to deliver. You not only love us, but you are awesome in every way.

Father, help me to do this as I face different crossroads at home, in the community, and at work. Remind me of your faithfulness to me and the blessings you have put on the work I do. Guide me in your way. Love through me. Lead through me. And I can tell you, without reservation, as for my wife and me, we will serve you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

“Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua then commanded the officers of Israel, “Go through the camp and tell the people to get their provisions ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

Joshua 1:6-11

Dear God, I e heard the phrase “be strong and courageous” before in relation to you and Joshua, but I don’t think I realized you said it three times. And then, when you said it, for Joshua, it was go time. Within three days, he started their new lives.

I have some friends who are on the precipice of big decisions. In fact, they are the three friends I’ve been praying for a lot lately. Of course, there are more than these three, but these three have been especially on my heart. But I can see this passage being for them as well. Daunting things are in front of them. I think it might be time for you to communicate to them, “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Father, first, help me to internalize this passage for myself. I have some things to deal with at work that I don’t like dealing with. It’s going to take some conflict, but not nearly as much conflict was Joshua was facing. But you are with me. I must have faith in that. I must be strong and courageous and not think about the potential downsides or difficulties from the conflict because you are with me wherever I go. And I pray this for my friends too. Help them to be strong and courageous so that they might each live the life you have for them and so that others might be touched by you through their lives and their stories of faith.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord .”Joshua 24:15 

Dear God, this is an oft quoted verse, but it’s often just the last sentence that people put up in their homes. What I’m noticing today is that Joshua is not letting them off easy. He’s challenging them do proactively choose what they are going to do because he knows that we all serve something. 

I think the difference in our societies is that back then they were very much into worshipping something. Nowadays, we are more likely to worship ourselves and our own abilities to solve our problems and guide our lives. We are into pleasing ourselves over pleasing a god. 

Father, I’m obviously choosing you, but I know I still have a lot to learn as to what that means and looks like. What does it really look like to be your worshippers and servant every day? I suppose that’s what discipleship and working out my faith with dear and trembling is all about. I don’t know that I’ll ever figure it all out, but I ask that you help me today to get one step closer to being the worshipper and servant you deserve and that I need for myself to be. 

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen