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