But when they cried out to the LORD, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. – Judges 3:9

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 31, 2012): Judges 3

I struggle with the passionless God of the Christian Church, as you may gather from a lot of my writings. What I mean by that is that I am not comfortable with our belief that we serve a God who knows everything that will happen in our lives. I have heard all of the arguments, but for me it leads us into a belief in a watchmaker God. If everything is already known, then why do we need an immanent who is near us; closer than even our next breath? If it is true that everything in creation has already been set, then God’s reaction to all of our circumstances is already decided – and God can basically phone in his responses. And we are left with a reactionless and passionless God.

But that is not the God that I find in the Bible. In the Bible, God reacts to his creation. He is distressed when there is sin in our lives, sometimes allowing struggles to enter into our existence so that we will learn to trust in him. But he is also distressed when the trouble threatens to overwhelm us. The repeated phrase in the Bible is that “he hears our cries.” His passion is aroused – to the point where God comes down and does something about the circumstances of our lives. It is the repeated rhythm that is found throughout the book of Judges. The people become apathetic about the things of God. As a result of the apathy, God’s presence is removed and evil enters into the existence of the people – until a point is reached where the people realize that what is missing is God, and they cry out to him. And the Creator of all that we see and know hears the cries, and he responds and comes to our rescue. In the book of Judges, that response is often the raising up of a protector for the people – one that is changed by an immanent and passion filled God.

I also understand all that the Bible says about a omniscient (all-knowing) God. I understand all that the Scripture says about a God that knows the number of our days. And I do not want to be in the position of saying that I disagree with the Word of God (which I do not.) But as much as I believe in a God that knows the number of my days, I also believe in a passionate God that not only hears my cries, but has the ability to step into my timeline and make a difference because he has heard. Any belief system that handicaps either of these abilities is to make God less than he really is. And that limitation of God is in itself, a sin.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Judges 4

Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. – Judges 2:16

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 30, 2012): Judges 2

Back in the early nineties there was a television series (running on CBS) called “Dark Justice.” The show lasted three seasons and the plot line was about a judge who was frustrated by the legal system – so by day he did his job as a judge, often forced to allow criminals to go free because of a technicality that went in their favor – but at night he got onto his motorcycle and became a vigilante, protecting his society in a way that he could not protect them in his day job. The tag line when “Judge Nicholas Marshall” would be forced to let one of these criminals go free was to declare that “justice may be blind, but it can see in the dark.”

The idea of the vigilante judge of “Dark Justice” is much closer to the idea of a Judge in book of Judges. Unlike modern Judges, these Judges were not hampered by the technicalities of the modern day legal system. The ancient Judges of Israel were more protectors of the nation than they were arbitrators of law. The Judge was in many ways the closest thing that history has to a comic book superhero. In Israel, there was no king and the tribes of Israel were only very loosely connected. But in times of trouble, God would send a Judge to protect the people (there must have been a cosmic bat-signal hiding somewhere.) Israel did not always have a Judge, but invariably they were raised up in times of difficulty for the nation. And they were the ones who were responsible to save the people.

Judges disappeared after this one, short period of history. As the people clamored for a king, he became the one that was responsible for the protection of the nation. Judges were unnecessary, and they disappeared – stepping permanently out of the pages of history. And sometimes the kings of the nations have done an admirable job of protecting their people – and sometimes they have fallen short of the task. But it still was the king’s responsibility to take over for the judge.

And today it is our political leaders that have taken the Judges responsibility to protect on their shoulders. It is the one task that no one else can do. They are the ones that have to rise up, and with the authority of God, protect their people from harm.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Judges 3

Then the men of Judah said to the Simeonites their brothers, “Come up with us into the territory allotted to us, to fight against the Canaanites. We in turn will go with you into yours.” So the Simeonites went with them. – Judges 1:3

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 29, 2012): Judges 1

The Baptist denominations are well known for their independent nature. The idea is that each individual church should be able to decide on and govern the direction of their churches on their own. And there is a deep logic to it. We seem to think it is an unalienable right to choose our own path and do what it is that we want. It has been that way since we were children telling our parents that they could not make us do anything. Of course, the truth was very different. Our parents could make us do almost anything they wanted to, but the assertion of our independence still felt good.

But there is a negative end of our independence. When we are all going our own way, we also produce barriers the separate us from each other. And sometimes the barriers and differences are significant enough that it makes it hard for the independent churches to work together. Often it is hard for the members of the churches to even understand why they need to work together - this in spite of the New Testament’s description of the church as being one body and one faith and recognizing that we should all be sharing one common goal.

Israel had possessed the land, but there was still work to be done. Judah would be the first to make an effort to take their territory. This was both a fulfillment of the prophecy of Jacob that the day would come when Judah would take the lead (Genesis 49) and a recognition that Judah, as the most populous of the tribes of Israel, had the greatest need to secure the territory. But the tribe of Simeon shared a similar need, and their territory was the only territory completely within the territory that had been given to Judah. And so it made a lot of sense for the tribes to take the land together – and the security of each of the tribes was dependent on the security of the other. The two tribes shared more things in common than characteristics that made them different.

In spite of our need for independence, we have to admit that there is more that binds the Christian church together than there is that separates us. We try to make an argument for our reason to exist, but in fact we all share our reason – and it is Jesus. And maybe it is time that we, instead of stressing the things that make us difference, decide to enter the land that God has given us - together.    

 Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Judges 2

But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the River and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. – Joshua 24:3

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 28, 2012): Joshua 24

I was asked recently what ethnic groups attended the church that I pastor. I have to admit that the question caught me a little off guard. I think my mind immediately went to visible minorities and the truth is that we do not have many (and I have not seen many in the neighborhood of the church.) We have a few. African, African American and Oriental people were present in our most recent service, but admittedly not in great numbers. But that was not really the question that I was asked.

The question concerned our ethnicities. We do have Ukrainian people in the congregation – and there are a number of Ukrainian people that live in the area around the church. German, English, and Dutch and other people of European descent are also represented in the congregation. And of course I am Irish. Maybe what we are a little short on is Canadians. The truth is that we seem to identify ourselves more from our heritage than by any other description. If you ask me, I will tell you that I am Irish – in fact, I am proud to be Irish - even though my family has lived in North America since at least the late the eighteenth century. Still, I consider myself a child of the Emerald Isle.

Again, Israel finds itself a closing chapter. They have gone through a few in their short existence. One chapter had closed when they left Canaan the first time because of famine. The second might have closed when Israel fell from grace after Joseph died. And then the Exodus, followed by the death of Moses. And now Joshua closes off the next chapter of the nation’s existence. But the close comes with a reminder of who they were – the children of Abraham. Even though they were centuries separated from the time of Abraham – it was still him that they remembered. Abraham was – and would continue to be – their anchor in their ever changing world.

And maybe that is why we honor our heritage with such passion in our changing world. But more than being Dutch, African American, German – or even Irish – we also share with Israel the knowledge that we too, by faith, are the children of the man who first journeyed across the river and into the land Canaan. We are the children of Abraham. It is there that we too find our identity.

 Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Judges 1

“Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. – Joshua 23:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 27, 2012): Joshua 23

A few days ago I watched the final Presidential debate in preparation for the election that is now only days away. And as many have mentioned, I was amazed at the length at which the combatants, especially Governor Romney, went to find common ground. There were several moments where some form of the phrase “I agreed with you when you said” or “when you did” this was spoken by either of the candidates. Some of the analysts saw the motivation in this action as trying to appear to be the one who could bring consensus, the one that could be the peacemaker and unify a government that is divided by its two party structure. But there was also a consequence of the consensus making; often the candidates were accused of flip-flopping on the issues.

In a Presidential election, the stakes are undeniably high. And we know from some of the polls that those who will be voting in the election value consensus and positive action (and it is fights and negativism that provokes their displeasure.) It can be argued that the criteria for electability will change in the coming days. Often it seems that the negative advertising is valued and more effective (possibly because it is more memorable) the closer that we get to the ballot box. But when the criteria on which we are judged is how well we play with other politicians (especially ones from the other party) sometimes it is hard to remember that the most important thing that the voter needs to know is what it is that we stand for. Because the axiom is true – if we do not stand for something, then we will fall for anything.

As Joshua prepares to say goodbye to the nation that he has led now for a generation, he repeats some advice that God had given him during the early days of his journey – be strong. There will be ample times when those around you will want you to deviate just a little from the plans that God has for you. But if you want to succeed as a nation, then just follow God in every way that you can. As Joshua looks at the nation that has been born out of slavery in Egypt, he is proud in what it is that God has done. His reminder to the people is that it was God who did it – and who would continue to do it as long as the nation followed him.

In our situation, we know that both candidates are guilty of doing a bit of flip-flopping. But my hope is that they have allowed us to see into the core of who it is that they are. And our hope, is that both of the candidates will have the courage to stay strong in that core belief when all of those around them want them to deviate to the right or the left.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 24

Then Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their homes. – Joshua 22:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 26, 2012): Joshua 22

There is something about being recognized for something. As much as people might protest that they do not need the recognition, there is a need somewhere inside of us to be accepted for our actions. It is not that we somehow believe that our actions have personal eternal consequences (we do not earn our way into heaven.) But sometimes it is just nice to be acknowledged as part of the community. Part of the problem is, as a community, how can we accomplish that in meaningful way?

But for the Christian, there is also a caution. Our justification is not because of what we have done. Heaven is not as a result of our actions – but rather because of our faith. Jesus goes as far as to indicate that not only are we not saved by our actions, but that we should realize who our audience really is. If we play for human acclamation and esteem, then we have already received our reward. Our motivation for doing good is simply that God wills it (a phrase that has been used negatively throughout the history of the church.) But when it is used properly, we recognize the plans that God has for this planet – and our role in making this world a better place to live – and commit ourselves to act in support of that plan for no reason other than that we have accepted that we play for an audience of one.

The soldiers from the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half the tribe of Manasseh had done what it was that they had committed to do. Moses had given them land on the other side of the Jordan River, at their request, on the condition that the tribes fulfill their responsibility to their brothers to enter and take the land. And now that the land had been secured (at least as much as was possible at the time) it was time for the soldiers to return home.

So Joshua blessed them. It was more than just calling them together and wishing them good luck in the future. As Joshua blessed them, he was indicating that, as a messenger of God, God’s approval would be with them – and that their actions in past and in the future had to be in support of the plan that God had for them. And in the end, it is God’s blessing, and not the esteem of people that should be important to us.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 23

Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. – Joshua 21:45

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 25, 2012): Joshua 21

I have to admit that I have not always kept my promises. It is not that I ever intended not to keep the promise. Nor do I ever think that the promise was made without due consideration. But sometimes I have to admit that life has gotten in the way. I have gotten busy and simply forgot the commitment (admittedly my most common excuse) or I have found the task harder than I thought it was going to be at the outset. At any rate, the task was left undone and the promise remained broken. It is not a good feeling.

Joshua reminds that reader that the God of Israel was a God that kept his promises. But as is true with so much that is written in the book, he actually makes it sound a little easier than it actually was. While God kept his promises, because of Israel’s disobedience, it took God longer to keep the promises then maybe it should have. What is maybe a better statement about the promise keeping God is that God was persistent with them. God continually reminded Israel that he had guided them this far and, if they would only keep to the plan, God would continue to honor them. But even though Israel continually seemed to fall short of the plan, God also never left them.

The only thing that can keep God from keeping his promises to us is our own disobedience. But, for us, he is also a persistent God pursuing us in spite of our disobedience or shortcomings. And the promise still stands for us - if we conform to his plan (which we were designed for in the first place), then God will honor us. And I cannot think of a better place to be. But if we fall short of the plan, God will pursue us, reminding us that the future still starts with him.

We still serve a promise keeping God. My hope is that that means that he is making us into a promise keeping people. But, if I have made a promise to you, a reminder e-mail is never out of line. God may not need it, but if we are honest, sometimes I think that all of us could use a reminder of the commitments that we have made.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 22

He is to stay in that city until he has stood trial before the assembly and until the death of the high priest who is serving at that time. Then he may go back to his own home in the town from which he fled. – Joshua 20:3

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 24, 2012): Joshua 20

As a kid I loved to watch comedian Flip Wilson perform. One of the sayings that used to come out of him in various situations – and one that is stuck in my memory – is his classic “the devil made me do it.” It is probably a classic because it kind of sums up how it is that we feel. Nothing is ever our fault. We do not feel like we have to take responsibility for anything in our lives. When bad happens, it always seems to be someone else’s fault. Whether it is the devil, or one of his minions, or just the circumstances that we have to face, there is always a reason to answer the question of why we fail – or sin.

But the devil cannot make me do anything. And the truth that we sometimes do not want to acknowledge is that those who are successful have often had to face the same kind of struggles that we face. The difference between success and failure is often simply how well we deal with the challenges.

God’s instructs Joshua to remember to build the cities of refuge. It is the only concession that seems to be made to the circumstances of life. If someone dies accidentally, there would be a place where they could go and plead their case. I think often we think about the cities of refuge as a get out of jail free card. But that really was not it. The person who killed someone - and if it was confirmed by the priest that the death was as a result of an accident – then there was a place to go and live, rather than having the death avenged by the family (an eye for an eye and a life for a life.) But it would still be a life of imprisonment. His life might be safe, but until the priest died, he could not leave the city.

Maybe one of the key lessons that we have to learn is that there are always challenges to what we are trying to do – and there are always consequences to our actions, even if our actions are as a result of an accident.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 21

These are the territories that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. And so they finished dividing the land. – Joshua 19:51

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 23, 2012): Joshua 19

I continue to be frustrated by sports lock outs (the current one is in the NHL.) If you are willing to listen (and I am increasingly unwilling to make the effort) I know that you can understand the point of view of both parties. But there has to be a balancing point somewhere. But in this case, the balancing point may be somewhere that neither party wants to go. It might be that the in a world where increasing profits seems to be the main emphasis, hockey has found itself in a place where downsizing is the only answer – fewer teams and fewer players, and less money for all parties. Put new arena plans on hold and lessen the investment and risk that is required from team owners – therefore they do not require the profit that they would seem to need in the current situation. It seems counter-intuitive, but if you cannot divide what you have and you cannot get more, then maybe the only alternative is to reverse the process and start to rebuild the sport (in some ways it is like hitting the reset button.)

Israel found herself in a position where they had a pie that needed to be divided up. And maybe the one positive that they had was the sense that they were dividing the land in the presence of God. That presence was probably signified by the presence of Eleazar the priest. Eleazar and the rest of the priests had no horse in the race; they were not receiving any of the land. The result was the ability to recognize all needs of the people involved. While the biblical record sounds like this might have been a smooth process, it was unlikely that it was in practice (and we know from Joshua’s own comments that he glosses over a lot of things that happened during this time period.) But the end result was that the land was divided – and there was even a concession from those that had too much to those that needed more.

Part of the essential nature of negotiation is the willingness to give away. But as the rhetoric increases that becomes harder and harder. As long as the focus is on me or taking away from the other, then finding that point of fairness as unlikely. But often that requires someone who has no stake in the argument.

But as long as our focus is only on what we want, there are a lot of good things in life that will remain forever outside our experience. Compromise is essential to life. And, in the end, it is worth the effort to get there.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 20

The lot came up for the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph: - Joshua 18:11

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 22, 2012): Joshua 18

Probably one of the most uncomfortable places to be is between two friends that are fighting. I usually find that I lose no matter what it is that I do. At some point in the fight it seems that invariably I get accused of always defending and supporting the other person. The truth is that in most fights there is both right and fault on both sides of the argument. But that only increases the danger for the friends that find themselves standing in the gap between the combatants.

From our view of history, Benjamin’s territory allotment between Judah and Joseph is highly significant. Benjamin was Joseph’s younger brother – and Joseph’s only full brother - and the one that Joseph protected all his life. When his brothers showed themselves to Joseph in Egypt, Joseph purposefully set up his younger brother just so that he could see his other brother’s reaction to the situation. For Joseph, their reaction would tell the story about whether or not they could be trusted – and whether or not his older half-brothers would be worth saving. So in this, Benjamin was deeply connected to the sons of Joseph.

But historically Benjamin’s descendants would end up supporting Judah against the claims of the northern tribes (dominated by the tribes of Joseph.) It was not that they no longer liked the Northern tribes, but life alongside the tribe of Judah would make them sensitive to some issues that were important to the powerful southern tribe. Specifically, Benjamin supported the rule of the house of David over all of Israel. And because they backed Davidic rule, they also supported the establishment of Jerusalem as the both the political and spiritual center for the nation. It was the political center because that it was the home of the Davidic kings (it was the City of David.) But for it to become the spiritual center, the tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant would have to be moved from Shiloh (in the hill country of Ephraim – one of the tribes of Joseph) to Jerusalem in Judah. Benjamin’s support of Judah’s claim would forever change the trajectory of the tribe – away from the political north and the tribes of Joseph and toward the south and the tribe of Judah. Benjamin was quite literally caught in the middle between the two powers.

But the decisions that Benjamin made were because they felt that they were right, even if it was against the age old friends. And in the end, when we are caught in the conflict between friends, doing what we feel is right is the only action we can take.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 19

Yet the Manassites were not able to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region. – Joshua 17:12

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 21, 2012): Joshua 17

I love the scene in “City Slickers” where Curly gets to tell Mitch about what it is that he has discovered about life. The secret to life is one thing. So then Mitch gets to ask the burning question, one that I think we all want to ask – what is that one thing? And Curly’s answer was that that was what Mitch had to find out. 

I was talking with a friend recently. He was trying to prioritize his life. There was a lot that he wanted to accomplish. He was one of the fortunate people (or maybe that should be the unfortunate people) who was extremely talented in a number of areas. But the result of all of this talent to this point in his life was that very little had been accomplished. He wanted to accomplish a lot – but he was slowly accomplishing very little. And that was causing him more than just a little guilt.  

If we need a purpose to live, then it follows that we all have a purpose, something that we need to accomplish in this life. There is something that we just have to do. But finding that one thing is always the difficult part of life. With so many distractions, and so many other things that we could do, often it seems hard to narrow life down to Curly’s one thing. It takes discipline if we are going accomplish the task that has been set in front of us.

Joshua comments that Manassites (the people of the tribe of Manasseh) were not able to inhabit the land that was to be theirs. They met a resistance from the inhabitants that they just did not have the strength to overcome – and they also did not have enough people to inhabit the land. But Manasseh was also one of the tribes that had asked to settle some of their people on the other side of the Jordan River. And the reader has to wonder if that is part of the reason why they struggled. They had set their sights on too much, and as a result they were unable to fulfill the purpose that was in front of them.

The reality of our lives is that we do have a purpose. But that we will also probably have to say no to something in order to make sure that we can accomplish our purpose. But we all need to find our one thing so that we will know what it is that we need to say no to – and what requires our yes. 

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 18

So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance. – Joshua 16:4

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 20, 2012): Joshua 16

I need to be so careful about the things that I say. Part of my problem is that too often I find myself saying things that I know I should not say. And the things that have been said just cannot be unsaid. They become a part of our reality and because they are part of our reality they begin to shape our future. And what hurts is that I shape with my words even when I am wrong.

Joseph died long before he really died. His brothers sold him into slavery and then went to their father and told him that he was dead. His dad mourned the loss of his beloved son and for years lived believing that only eleven of his twelve sons had survived into their midlives. It was a reality that shaped him; it changed Jacob at the core of his being. And he would never be the same again. Even when Joseph would later be revealed as being still alive, the change would have already happened. Nothing could reverse it.

But neither would Israel. When Jacob dies and he gives a blessing to his sons, I am not sure that he realized the full extent of what he was doing. All of his son’s names would be attached to a tribe of Israel with the exception of the one that for so long had been believed to be dead. Instead of his name attached to tribe, it would be both of his son’s names, Manasseh and Ephraim, that would be remembered. And with that move Joseph, the second youngest of the son’s of Jacob would receive the coveted double portion inheritance from his father that would normally have been given to the oldest son.

And while Joseph’s name may not be found among the tribes, his influence was front and center, because Joshua – the man currently responsible for shaping the nation – was one of his descendants. Joshua was of the tribe of Ephraim, and through him, Joseph continued to be still very much alive.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 17

She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs. – Joshua 15:19

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 19, 2012): Joshua 15

There is an old episode of the comedy “Two and a Half Men” where Charlie (played by Charlie Sheen) and Alan (played by Jon Cryer) talk about what might happen if Charlie ever died (who said that sitcoms cannot be prophetic). Alan wants to know that he is in Charlie’s will, and specifically that the house will be left to him so that he will still have a place to live. (Apparently being a chiropractor does not allow one to make enough money to live on their own.) I am not sure that Charlie cared what happened to his property after he was dead, but the promise of the house came with a warning. Alan could have the house, but with the house came astronomical taxes and it was weighed down with debt. And now Alan is dismayed. He may have possession of the house, but he will not be able to afford to keep. So he asks his brother – hopefully – if there might be a small inheritance of money to help defray the costs of the property – to which Charlie responds “Nope, that’s it, the whole thing is nothing but a house of cards waiting to fall.” For Alan, the inheritance that he had wanted to obtain was not an inheritance that he would be able to keep. So the inheritance itself was without substance.

Caleb gives his daughter away in marriage. And she and her husband come into possession of a piece of land, but the land has no water. And land without water is a useless inheritance – the land is not good for anything. So Caleb’s daughter comes to him and asks for help. Dad, you have blessed us with the land, but could you – would you give us water as well. And dad looks at his daughter and says “I will give you more than the one spring that you are asking for. I will give you two springs of water – an upper and a lower spring, one on both sides of your land so that your whole property might be watered.”

As I was reading this passage, I thought of another biblical passage. This one came from John 4 and it was a conversation between Jesus and a woman at a well. And Jesus comes to her, breaking every cultural convention and asks her for water. I am not sure that he really needed her water, but he knew that she needed his water. And Dad wanted to give her water. And so they have a conversation. Jesus waits expectantly for this daughter to inquire of her Dad for the water that she so desperately needs – water that the Father cannot wait to give to her.

God still wants to give us the water that we sometimes do not even know that we need. And so leads us through the desert times of our lives, expectantly waiting for us to ask for his water – his Spirit poured out on us.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 16

The Levites received no share of the land but only towns to live in, with pasturelands for their flocks and herds. – Joshua 14:4b

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 18, 2012): Joshua 14

It was a Facebook entry (by a Canadian). “To all my American friends: I am not voting in your election so please do not try to convince which side is right. I am committed to praying for both sides of the election and if that is not good enough for you, then please defriend me. I will not be offended." And there the entry ended. Now, those that know me are still in shock that I saw a Facebook entry (because Facebook is a tool of Satan, but sometimes I go as a missionary into the Kingdom of Facebook. The appropriate response to that last statement is laughter – just so you know.) There was one response to the entry and it was about how my Facebook friend was devaluing friendship. But my friend had a point.

I am not sure that as Christian’s we should not be apolitical. I think we should be very involved in the issues around the political discussion, but I am not convinced that any of our political parties have an inside track to the issues that we find important. So, we are in the discussion of the issues, openly listening and then making up our minds how it is that we feel God would have us vote. But let me stress that, on this point, I think it might be the way that we should move forward - but I am not sure.

But I am sure that as a Pastor, this is the path that I have to follow. I am apolitical. I have my opinions, and one on one I am more than willing to engage in that discussion. But as a pastor, I do not care which way that you vote. I do care that you vote. And the basis of what I believe can actually be traced back to the priests in Israel. The priests had no area in Canaan that was theirs – every other son of Jacob had a plot of land to call their own, and Joseph had two. But the sons of Levi, who became the priests for the nation, had no area of land that was their own. Instead, they were sprinkled among the tribes. No tribe was without Levi – the priests – living in their midst. I am convinced that our world should be the same way.

I want you to vote – where ever it is that you live in the world. When there is an election, examine the issues, pray over your decision and then go and vote. The last local election that was held in the city that I live, I listened and prayed, and to be honest I was standing in front of the ballot with all of this stuff running through my head and I did not know which way I should vote until the very last moment. And when I voted, I think I went against the party that a lot of my Christian friends were convinced was in ‘the right.’ But I was finally settled that it was the right way for me to vote.

Vote, and when your vote has been cast, please pray for your political leaders. Pray even harder that God will do something miraculous in the lives of the politicians – maybe especially the ones that you did not vote for.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 15

When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the LORD said to him, “You are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over. – Joshua 13:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 17, 2012): Joshua 13

I signed up for Life Insurance Product called Freedom 55 when I was in my twenties. It was back in the day when I was naive enough to believe what the salesman wanted to sell me. It was not necessarily that the product was bad, except that I guess it was. Later, I came to understand that combining life insurance and investments into a single product was only to make both less effective. And as much as I sometimes come to the end of the day and I want to quit, I also realize that that is probably one of the unhealthiest things for me to do. Freedom 55 sounds like a good thing to try to achieve, but we cannot exist – we cannot live - without a purpose.  

And so maybe I should not be amazed at the number of seniors that somehow feel that they have done their time. I watch them move away from both commitment and purpose. It seems that we have been trained by our culture to prepare for rest in our later years. I wish that they could see that the only thing they are really preparing for is death - and that a life outside of purpose is not a biblical idea.

Joshua’s life had been long. And that meant that the days that he had left had grown short. So God reminds him that this life has an expiry date and that there is still a lot that needed to be done. There is nothing that focuses our attention better than the realization that the days that we have left to accomplish God’s goals are growing short.

As long as we breathe, we have a purpose that we need to accomplish. The real rest comes in the life that follows this one. But if we are here, it is for a reason. Go and accomplish that reason.  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 14

Moses, the servant of the LORD, and the Israelites conquered them. And Moses the servant of the LORD gave their land to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh to be their possession. – Joshua 12:6

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 16, 2012): Joshua 12

As we get closer to a Presidential election, I have to admit that I find a lot of the discussion and the debate amusing. But honesty probably would not be that entertaining – or motivating for those that want to vote. Part of my problem is that I know that very little of what they say is the reason why we are electing them. The world is so interconnected that it is the height of hubris to think that any one leader of any nation – including the United States – can have the effect that candidates often proclaim. As much as the candidates seem to proclaim something different, much of what will happen in the next few years is already in place – it has been placed there by preceding governments and by events that are happening on the world stage.

That is not to say that it does not matter who is living in the White House – because it does. But it is for reasons that we seem to minimize. The President is most valuable in times of crisis. It is then that he or she can make the biggest impact. It is during the 9/11’s and the economic collapses that we need a strong leader. But those times are impossible to anticipate – and we really do not want them to come, and that makes them impossible to campaign on. The only two questions that we really need answered in a campaign is – how well do you function when your world is falling apart and how are you going to spend our money. For most other issues, we will not know the effectiveness of President, and what he prepared the nation to accomplish, until long after the President has left office. The great political leaders are remembered for the things that they set up to happen after they left office.

Joshua would be the political leader that would take the Canaan on behalf of Israel, but how good a leader he was is really questionable. He successfully moved a nation through the transition from the desert into being a nation. He got each of the tribes settled in their areas. He led well in the military and administrative tasks that he needed to complete. But he failed in one very basic area. Unlike Moses, it does not appear that he trained anyone to take over from him. Moses had Joshua. And a lot of what happened during Joshua’s reign, Moses had set in motion. In other words, what Joshua achieved, Moses had set up for him. But because Joshua did not seem to prepare for the leaders that would come after him, we will never know how good a leader he really was.

Leadership is seldom about the now. It is about the way that we set up for the future. And as far as President’s go, our interconnected world needs a President that really understands that.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 13

Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time. – Joshua 11:18

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 15, 2012): Joshua 11

The Hundred Years war was a series of conflicts fought over a period of one hundred and sixteen years (1337 – 1453) between England and France. In the end it was the French that came out of the war with the victory. The immediate consequences of the war was that the Kingdom of England lost all of their Continental land assets except for the Pale of Calais (which would not become a part of France until 1558) and the French maintained control over its own throne. But the long term effects of the war ran much deeper. Historians have argued that it was The Hundred Years War that was the key element in developing English pacifism. The cost of The Hundred Years War highly outweighed the benefits of the war. And in France, the French came to understand that it was okay to go to war to expel invaders from its own territory. In both cases, the reaction to war was now ingrained in the psyche of the nations.

Joshua lists the conquests of Israel in a brief narrative. But it is almost as if he thought that the people might forget the struggle that the conquests brought with them. And so he adds this statement, in essence the words simply underline that the wars he was listing took a long time to complete. This was not either a quick or an easy fix. It was a struggle that molded the character of a young nation.

There are at least four reasons why the wars had to be completed over a period of time. The first was so that if the conquest happened to quickly the land would lie empty, and therefore either be taken by neighbouring powers or by wild animals, which would require the land to be defeated once again. It would take time to be able to inhabit the land. But the second reason was so that Israel would never take armed conflict as an “easy” thing to be involved in. As much as this point was missed by future generations, war was never meant to be seen as the most convenient response to hardships. Connected with the second reason was that the nation also needed to be learn the art of war. They were a nation of slaves. They had learned some things in the desert, but there were still many things to be learned.

But maybe the most important reason for the many years is that they were also a nation designed to be ruled by God (they were a theocracy.) So much of what would follow would only be possible if they had learned to find their patience and courage in God. War could never be the first response, or a response taken in the absence of God’s direction - because war would forever threaten to destroy the image that God had created in man. War was a last resort, one that could be entertained only when every other alternative had failed.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 12

But don’t stop! Pursue your enemies, attack them from the rear and don’t let them reach their cities, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand.” – Joshua 10:19

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 14, 2012): Joshua 10

One of the scene’s in the movie “Star Wars” has the heroes of the story gathered together in Hans Solo’s craft - The Millennium Falcon - as they make their escape, attempting to both save the princess and her planet. But as they make the journey, the five escapees on The Falcon run into a scout ship of the Empire. The group cannot make sense of the presence of the scout craft – it was too far away from any base for it to be possible for the small ship to have made it to their current position - but they also knew that they could not allow the scout ship to get back to base, because then the empire would know where it was that they were. So the motley crew of the Falcon decide to pursue and destroy the scout ship as quickly as possible.

Of course, in the movie, the Death Star of the Empire is a lot closer than our heroes would have dreamed. And what was a small problem quickly became a problem that was too big for them to handle. There are several military reasons for not allowing a scouting party or a unit to get back to the main base. So much of war is all about misdirection and not allowing your enemy to know where it is that you are. But there are also psychological benefits. When the enemy sends out it scouts or military units and they disappear, the mind conjures up a lot of different explanations, and none of them are good. Fear is sometimes all that is needed for the battle to be won.

So as the enemy attacks Gibeon, Israel comes in defence of them and the five attacking kings decide to retreat. But retreat would only mean continuing the fight on another day – and possibly against forces that the army of Israel would have trouble handling as other cities in the area decide that banding together is the way to take care of the new threat. It would also mean that Israel would need a continued vigilance around the area of Gibeon at a time when the army would be needed in other areas of the nation. So they needed to pursue them and take care of threat now.

We do not have many military battles that need to be fought in our personal lives. But sometimes the advice to Israel is one that we need to hear. I admit that I am the great procrastinator, preferring to leave the battles I have to fight until a later time. But I recognize the wisdom of pursuing them now, before they become too big for me to handle. If we pursue the threats to us early on, then they never have the chance to get big enough to threaten our lives. And we get to place our focus exactly where  we need it to be.

   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 11

We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you. – Joshua 9:25

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 13, 2012): Joshua 9

I am a Canadian. That means that I belong to a nation that is not the big kid on the block. That title belongs to our southern neighbor. It is not that we are the weakest either. We are a nation that exists with both things that we are good at – and things that we need to improve on – and some things that we know we will never be the best at. There are a lot of things that I like about being a Canadian. We are innovative, and I think very intelligent. But we are also used to not being in total control. Someone recognized that this is revealed maybe most in our literature. While an American audience likes all of the loose ends neatly tied up and resolved, Canadian literature tends to leave things a little unfinished. And we are okay with that. It is the way that we really live our lives.

Canadians live in the shadow of the only superpower left in the world. And because we live in their shadow, we have a very strange relationship with them. I have to admit, that we seem to spend a lot of time trying to prove how different we are when compared to them. And we are different. Yet, there is also a level of trust between us. We recognize the influence that our Southern neighbors have on us - and, to a lesser extent, the way that we have the privilege of influencing them.

The city-states in Canaan had to make some decisions with regard to how they would interact with the new power in the area. Most would fight, but the Gibeonites chose a different way. They chose a position where they could exist, and be an influence, from inside the military power. It was a position where they placed their trust in the more powerful nation. They would do what they would do with the weaker nation.    

Most of us are not the best and the brightest. We all exist in the orbit of stars that shine brighter than we do. In that, we share something with the Gibeonites. But survival is in learning to live – and influence upward – from the place that we inhabit.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 10

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out his javelin toward Ai. – Joshua 8:18

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 12, 2012): Joshua 8

She marched around one of the drug houses of the city. It was a broken down hotel in the downtown section of the city in which I live. Although it might have been broken down, the hotel was making vast amounts of illegal money and damaging countless lives. And so she gathered a few friends and marched. There were no picket signs; there was absolutely no indication of why they marched. They just marched. Every day they took a walk around the building. Although no one understood why they marched, their reality was that they were claiming that piece of land for God. After about six months of daily marching, one day they showed up to find closed signs posted all over the hotel. Two weeks later the hotel was destroyed and today a center dedicated to finding employment for the poor stands in its place. Some believe it was just coincidence, but she believes that it was the marching that brought down the hotel.

  

We often do not understand symbolic actions. We live in a scientific age of cause and effect – and symbolic actions have very little place in our culture. A man that waves his fingers at someone emphatically is just being demonstrative, but in some cultures that motion is the symbolic act that results in a curse being placed on the one being waved at. To most of us that is nothing more than a worthless superstitious belief. And yet ... the hotel closed.

Joshua had marched on Ai – and lost. Sometimes we struggle with the reason why. Is it not more possible that it was a simple case of overconfidence after the easy way that Jericho fell? Did it have to be because of sin? When Joshua returned to the city he had better odds for the battle ahead and a military strategy.

But as Joshua approached the city, God instructed him to hold out his spear. Scholars have wondered about the action. Some have asserted that it was a signal for the army to stop their retreat and turn and face the pursuing army. Others have wondered if it was a signal to spring the trap. Or maybe it was a symbolic act indicating that the city was already in possession of God. Or maybe it was a bit of all three. After all, God does seem to like symbolic acts.

After the hotel closed, she marched around another drug house, but God was way ahead of her. In only two weeks it closed too. And so she took her marching team to another place that simply needed the presence of God. She became a modern day Joshua, marching around Jericho and pointing her spear at the city of Ai – and watching God move. Sometimes all we really need to do is commit ourselves to the symbol – and believe that God is going to move.

   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 9

Personal Note: Happy Birthday, Mom.

The LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? – Joshua 7:10

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 11, 2012): Joshua 7

In Alexandre Dumas’ “Twenty Years After,” Dumas continues his romance of D’Artagnan. The Musketeers have split off into their various individual pursuits. Athos has returned to his estate, Porthos finds himself married to a lawyer’s widow, and Aramis, who could dream of nothing beyond becoming a priest, has become a Priest who can dream of nothing other than being a soldier. D’Artagnan begins the process of seeking out his old friends for what would be, at least in some ways, a fool’s errand. The task at hand is the rescue of England’s king, Charles I, who had fallen under attack from some rebels within his own government. Dumas’ allows the reader to experience sympathy for the fallen king, but at the end of the story, Charles would die, although it would not be because of the inaction of the epic four Musketeers.

Throughout the story maybe the one fault of the Musketeers, at least in the view of some of those that wished to direct the responses of the soldiers, was their absolute refusal to just stand by. Whether it was defending the King of France, or the princes of France, or even the King of England, the Musketeers would briefly bow, acknowledging the office and then stand, getting ready for action that would necessarily follow. After it all, it was action that they were built for.

Joshua and the elders of the nation tore their clothes and fell on their faces before God. In this act they took care of what they saw as their ritual responsibility before God. In falling on their faces they were acknowledging God’s sovereign authority over all of their lives. In staying on their faces, they recognized their sin in denying that very authority.

But it was not what God wanted. God’s desire was for the Musketeer inside of them to come out. He needed Joshua to get off of his knees and take action against the sin of the nation. Often it seems that we are sorry for our sin, but part of repentance is to take action to get rid of our sin – something that we often find hard. So, maybe it is time to unleash the Musketeer inside of all of us, in order that the hard part can be taken care of – and then God will not have to ask us why we are stuck in the middle of a ritual.

    

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 8

Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. – Joshua 6:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 10, 2012): Joshua 6

There was once a young boy. All he wanted was for his father to come and take him out on a fishing trip. The thought of spending some quality time with dad was something that he really wanted. But the time never came. One day his dad promised him that today was the day. Mom and dad had long since divorced, but dad promised that on this day he would come – on this day they would finally spend that day fishing that they had always planned. So the boy got up early and got ready for dad. For a while he stood by the window, and then he sat on the step. Later he could be found down on the side walk in front of his house. But dad did not come.

Have you ever anticipated something that did not happen? It is the surprise birthday party that you are sure your friends are planning that never arrives, or maybe the anticipated visit of friends that gets cancelled at the last minute. The scene of a boy waiting patiently for an estranged father – the picture of the boy standing on the edges of his world - is one that we all seem to know emotionally all too well.

The people of Jericho knew the experience. They had heard about the coming of the armies of Israel. It would be a terrible army. And so the city did what it would do whenever an army marched for the city walls. They stocked the city with all of the supplies that they could get and then they closed the gates of the city. The hope was that the invading army would not have the strength to bring down the walls and that the city could simply out wait the invading army.

And so with the gates closed the army gathered on the walls of the closed city. It must have been quite a sight to see the soldiers of a nation simply march around the closed walls and then retreat. One of the theories on what happened on that fateful seventh day was as the army and the priests marched around the city, too many people gathered on the walls of the closed city, trying to get a look at the mighty army that only seemed to know how to march. The weight of the gathered people was more than the walls could sustain - and the walls just fell down. But whatever the reason, the closed walls of the city fell without Israel needing to fire a shot. What was the cities strongest feature fell before a nation that was willing to follow the absurd instructions of an all powerful God.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 7

At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” – Joshua 5:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 9, 2012): Joshua 5

To live in a society (simply meaning living in any gathering of people) we need to be a people of covenant. What it means to live in covenant is simply to recognize that whatever it is that I say that I will do, I will do. It applies as much to major business arrangements as it does to an understanding that I will take out the garbage when it is ready (or make the bed if I am the last one to get up – which I usually am.) Our word is absolute - and when our word means something to us, we do what we say – our society works.

But too often that is not the society that I live in. I do not experience a covenant society where what is said is delivered on. Too often I find myself in a society of lawyers and conditional agreements. A condition agreement says that if you do something, then I will respond. Conditional agreements have no room for grace – no allowance for mistakes or troubling circumstances. It is simply a cause and effect situation. Parenting is a good example of this kind of relationship. One of the pieces of advice that I give to troubled and besieged parents is that there needs to be consistency in the home. If the child does something, either positive or negative, there should be no guessing at what the reaction is going to be (If you lose your tooth, the tooth fairy will leave a dollar under your pillow – no negotiation is needed.) Conditional agreements are our point of entry into the world of covenant relationships. But the problem is that most of us never seem to grow beyond the conditional agreements. 

    

One of the favorite lines that people like to tell me is that someday they will get their lives cleaned up – and at that point they will come back to God. It is like they think God is keeping a conditional agreement. And to be honest, some of the language of the Bible is conditional agreement language (if you do, then God will.) But the conditional language of the Bible is a concession to our own immaturity.  God’s invitation is into a covenantal relationship.

Israel existed as a nation in a covenant relationship with God. And in spite of our “if ... then” theology, God does not seem to be interested in it. The mark of the covenant was circumcision. It was the big if. Circumcision was something that the world could not understand. In fact, much of the world found the practice obscene. But for Israel it was a mark of the covenant. But the mark had apparently been ignored for much of the desert wanderings. But God still blessed Israel, in spite of their lack he still lived up to his word – his covenant – setting the example for his people. He proved that he would be a covenantal God.

Life would be so much better if we would just recognize our covenants, living up to our words no matter whether or not those around us live up to theirs – understanding that that is exactly what God does in his relationship with us.

   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 6

Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the LORD had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. – Joshua 4:10

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 8, 2012): Joshua 4

There is a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode where a primitive culture comes face to face with a God they know of as Picard. Of course, Captain Picard may command the iconic Starship known as Enterprise, but he is not a God. So the futuristic Captain has to explain why it is that he cannot bring back to life the ones who had died in the previous winter – and why it is that he cannot bring the rain that they need right now. The members of the Picard believing culture react by wondering if maybe they had angered their Picard God. They could not understand that the request was simply beyond the humble Captain’s ability.

One of the misconceptions of the Christian faith is that somehow God’s presence in our lives will keep us safe in the common times of this life - fulfilling the desires of our hearts. The belief makes us vulnerable to a faith that is based on our circumstances. If things are going well (and I feel safe), then I can be assured that I am in the center of God’s will. But if things are not going well we think that somehow we have angered our God. It is not that our God is powerless to deliver into our hands the things that we want (like Picard), but sometimes we just do not understand his purpose in our situation – and God’s desire to make us dangerous.

There are a few differences between the crossing of the Red Sea at the beginning of Israel’s journey and the crossing of the Jordan River at the end. One of the differences was that as Israel crossed the Red Sea, Moses stood alone with his arms raised. But as Israel crosses the Jordan, it was the priests that were the first ones to step into the water – and the priests who stood in the center of the river allowing a nation to cross. At the Red Sea, the crossing was done in the midst of panic, but at the Red Sea it was done in the calm of the day. But maybe one of the biggest differences was that at the Red Sea, God and Moses led Israel away from danger into relative peace. But at the Jordan, the process was reversed. God, through his priests, led a nation from peace back into danger. If God wanted to keep his people safe, he would have left them in the desert, fed with the Manna that he would provide. But God wanted something different. He wanted a nation that would be dangerous and change the world.

God still calls us to walk a path, not that will keep us safe, but rather one that will make us dangerous. It is the challenge that each one of us is called to. Are you up for it?

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 5

Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.” – Joshua 3:5

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 7, 2012): Joshua 3

I had a bad experience at McDonald’s last week. I was in a hurry because I was on my way to a meeting and I just needed to get something quickly to eat. McDonald’s just happened to be on the way, so I stopped in. It was busy – well, not really, but there were about five people in the restaurant and apparently none of them had received their food – so we were all waiting. I was at the back of the line. So I placed my order and watched it join the other four orders that waited to be filled. And then the problems started. Slowly the orders were filled, but not mine. New people came up to the counter and ordered and received their orders while I was still waiting. Finally my order came up, but it was not my order – at least, it was not what I had asked and paid for. So the order went back and I continued my waiting. A second time my order came up, but the food was still wrong (in fact, it had not changed from the first time they had tried to present me with food.) The same thing happened a third time. Finally, the manger presented me with my food. He told me that what was inside was the food that I ordered, verbalizing each item. I grabbed the bag and ran for the meeting. But when I arrived and quickly started to eat the food, the food that was in the bag was the same food that I had turned down three times at the counter – not the food that I had ordered. And I felt ripped off. I had paid for something that I had not received. But I also had no time to correct the situation. So I ate some of the meal and headed into my meeting.

Sometimes we go to church the same way that I go to McDonald’s. Our church attendance is slotted in between other things that we have to do (okay, usually it is sleep and football.) Church becomes something that we just need to get through quickly. But I do not believe that God is honored by that.

Israel is finally getting to cross the Jordan River into Canaan. It has been a long trip. But the crossing of the Jordan was not something that simply needed to be accomplished – it was not like ordering a burger at McDonald’s. It was going to be a worship experience that needed to be prepared for. Joshua told the nation, you are going to want to prepare for tomorrow, because tomorrow, God is going to move.

Too many Christians have never seen God move and sometimes I wonder if it is because we have never prepared ourselves to see him move. We just fit him into the spots in our schedule that is convenient for us. And if that is all that we will do, God will never move in our lives. It is time once again for the church to gather. Can we prepare to see him move?

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 4

They said to Joshua, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.” – Joshua 2:24

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 6, 2012): Joshua 2

When I was in my second year of college, I met a guy (we can call him Fred). I was walking through the cafeteria and Fred was sitting in a corner reading a book. Now Fred was a first year student, and so I thought I would be friendly and stop to talk with him. And I thought everything was going good until we got to the part of the conversation where we introduced ourselves. The moment that I said my name, I felt that somehow I was no longer wanted or needed anywhere near him. So I left, but I was puzzled.

Fred would eventually become a close friend, so at one point in our relationship I got up the courage to ask him about the day that we first met in the cafeteria – and the follow up question that was on my lips was this – did I know you or run into you before that day. Fred admitted that that day in the cafeteria was the first day we had met, but it was not the first day that he had heard my name. The first time that he had heard my name was when he fell head over heels in love with Susan (also not really her name.) Susan was everything that Fred had ever dreamed of. She was beautiful and had a great personality – and he was already good friends with her, but not friends in the way that Fred wanted to be. But as he was trying to change the nature of his relationship with her – it was only me that she wanted to talk about. (And I have to be honest and say that I did not know that Susan ever liked me. We did not have the relationship that Fred seemed to assume that we had had.)

The second time he heard my name, he was attracted to another girl. This time the girls name was Cheri (this is really her name.) He was on a bus coming to visit the campus of the college where I was attending and he had met this gorgeous girl. Apparently Fred sat down beside Cheri to get to know her, but all that she wanted to talk about was that she was going to the college to see me. And this was just too much for him. So in that moment he simply decided that he did not like me – and would never like me. It was at this point in the conversation when I got to say to him “you realize that Cheri is my sister.” And he laughed and said, “I do now.”

As I read this story in Joshua, I have this idea. We know that Moses escaped Egypt and went to live in Midian. While it might have been impossible for a nation to disappear, it might have been very possible for individual families to disappear. And slowly, the exodus of Israel out of Egypt might have been going on for centuries. All of these people leaking slowly into places like Jericho. And there they told the stories of Israel and the mighty God that had chosen her as his own. It would not be long before the people would be scared of this power that they knew of only in the stories of those who had come from afar. So when Israel finally showed up, they were already “melting with fear.” It is one possibility for the way that God went ahead of Israel to prepare the way for them.

  

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 3

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. – Joshua 1:8

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 5, 2012): Joshua 1

Okay, this is fair warning. I am going to take a few minutes and pick on smokers – just because I can. A couple of weeks ago I was talking with a smoker I know about quitting smoker. Actually someone else had wondered if we should offer a stop smoking program in the church. I mean, that would be a great idea and all the smokers will get really excited about it. Unfortunately, the person who came up with the idea did not smoke, so I thought I would try out the hypothesis by going to talk to someone in the smoking area just outside the doors of the church. And the idea was not met with the same enthusiasm that I had experienced when it was pitched to me. The conversation went something like this. “Garry, it is not that we don’t want to quit smoking. You would have to be crazy to look at a cigarette package and not realize the damage that we are doing to our bodies. But, deep down we really do not want to do what it will take to quit.” And I understood the comment. If a smoker comes up to me and says “I want to quit smoking” I am all over that. But I do not know many smokers that will quit because a non-smoker thinks they should. (And, by the way, the worst non-smokers are ex-smokers.)

A few days later I was in another meeting. This time the subject matter was different, but the result was the same. I have been convinced that the church exists to make us all a little more like Christ. To that end, I am also convinced that if the church is doing its job, then we will exhibit more and more of what Paul calls “the Fruit of the Spirit” – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The response was kind of expected. There are some days, Garry, when I do not feel like being any of that – I just do not want to work that hard. And again, I understand that. But it also highlights part of the problem.

In the church, it has somehow become assumed that the Fruit of the Spirit is something that we put on – we even use that kind of language. It is like deciding which shirt we want to put on in the morning (and today I am just not in a yellow mood.) But I do not believe that that is Paul’s intention. Rather than being something that we put on, the Fruit of the Spirit is supposed to be what we are. The Fruit of the Spirit is supposed to be what is left exposed when we get naked (and you always thought it was the Fruit of the Loom.)

The only way we get to that point is if we meditate on God’s Word and never let it depart from us. The only way that we will ever get to where we need to go is if we find the words of God forever on our lips. If that does not happen, then it will always be work we do not have the energy to complete.

     

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 2

You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day ... – Psalm 91:5

Today’s Scripture Reading (October 4, 2012): Psalm 91

Night. It can be an uneasy time. I am 6’ 2” and weigh around 300 lbs, and more than once I have met someone who has responded to me with words like “I wouldn’t want to meet you in a dark alley.” The idea seems to be that I would not want to be with you in an isolated place at night. That would scare me.

People that know me know that I am more of a teddy bear than a grizzly. But there have been times that I have scared people. A number of years ago I played the part of Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol.” I had white powder in my hair and makeup on my face, and I still remember walking down a dark hallway just before the production was about to begin. I often like to be alone before a performance, just getting into character and going over my lines. And, in that moment, I am often very unaware of my surroundings. (By the way, the same thing happens to me before a church service, apparently often making me appear very unfriendly; in reality I am just preoccupied.) On this day I was walking down a dark hall alone when a young child who had escaped from the care of his parents ran around a corner and right into a preoccupied Scrooge. I think the poor kid had to go and change his pants after he had come face to face with the terror of the night.

What makes the night scary is that you never quite see what it is that you are facing. And because we cannot see into it, our imaginations often magnify the danger. The other problem is that when danger does come, in the darkness we cannot see it.

That is also the problem with an arrow that flies during the day. If someone attacks you face to face during the day, you can see the attack coming. But a good archer can attack at such a distance that you do not see the attack coming. It is the reason why news of sniper drives fear into our bones. We know that we will never see the attack coming – and, in that way, it is very similar to the terror that comes in the night.

This Psalm does not mention its author, but scholars attribute the Psalm to Moses (basically because the Psalm before it is also written by Moses.) And, maybe, it was written in that moment when Moses realized that he was going to have to release his friends into the Promised Land. Moses knew that he would no longer be there – but God still was. There was no need to fear the unexpected or the unanticipated events of life because the God that Moses had known face to face was still walking with them. He would be there overcomer of the terrors that only seem to come in the night.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 1