Why it Matters - Chosen

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 9-12

One of the fundamental themes that runs throughout the Scriptures is the idea that God chooses us before we choose Him. God chose Noah and his family. God chose Abraham and Sarah. God chose Isaac. God chose Jacob. God chose Joseph. God chose Moses. God chose Joshua. God chose each one of the judges of Israel. God chose Samuel. And today, we read about God choosing Saul. Saul did not set out to be king, in fact, he set out to find some donkeys! Little did he know what God had in store for him. God orchestrates a meeting with Samuel, tells Samuel who to look for, and the next thing you know, Saul is anointed Israel’s first king. No one is as shocked as Saul at this crazy turn of events. Born into the smallest clan of the smallest tribe, it seems Saul had no designs on leadership of any kind but after Samuel anoints him, the Spirit of the Lord comes upon him, equipping and empowering him for his work.

I often look back over the course of my life and marvel at all God has done. He chose me when I was a drunk and failing out of college at CU. (Talk about searching for donkeys!) He chose me when I had no ministry credentials or experience or background that would suggest I would make a decent pastor. He chose to send me to Princeton where I had no business getting accepted with my grades being as poor as they were. He chose Overlook Presbyterian Church in Mobile, AL to be my first call. An amazing church with an amazing heart for God where a young pastor could learn what it meant to love God and love His people. He chose Sun Prairie, WI to humble me and strip my life down to the studs so I would learn what it means to fear the Lord. He chose Parker Evangelical Presbyterian Church to rebuild heal my soul, rebuild my faith, and restore my trust in Him and His people. It’s been an amazing ride. One I could never have planned on my own. Yes, every time God chose me, I needed to choose Him in return but God was always the initiator.

What about you? When you think back over the course of your life, where do you see the hand of God at work? Can you identify those moments when God chose to save you or set you apart for a special task? Do you believe in God’s providential plan for your life? Do you walk with open hands and an open heart before Him?

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 13-16

Why it Matters - Rejection

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 4-8

No one likes rejection. Particularly when you have spent a lifetime serving a particular people or a particular cause. Samuel dedicated his entire life to serving the Lord and Israel. He led them for decades, serving as their spiritual, political, military, and primary religious leader. He led them faithfully and well which was a significant change of pace from Eli and his sons. He restored the true worship of God, calling the people to let go of their idols. He won a major military victory over the Philistines at Mizpah. Sadly, as he grew older, his sons did not follow his example. They walked in the footsteps of the sons of Eli, the former priest, taking bribes and perverting justice. As a result, the people rejected Samuel and called for a king.

As a pastor, I know a little bit of how this feels. Rejection is part of the job description. Every pastor knows what it feels like to walk with an individual or family in crisis. On call 24/7 for them. Sacrificing all kinds of time and energy to serve them. Offering them our best guidance and wisdom from God’s Word. Only to have them walk away when things get better. Leave the church because things didn’t turn out the way they wanted. Be attacked publicly for not meeting their expectations. It hurts every single time. But in those moments, I’ve learned to turn to these words from 1 Samuel. “The Lord said to Samuel, “Do everything the people request of you. For it is not you that they have rejected, but it is me that they have rejected as their king. Just as they have done from the day that I brought them up from Egypt until this very day, they have rejected me and have served other gods. This is what they are also doing to you.” (‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭8‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬) I find these words comforting though I am cautious about equating someone’s rejection of me with a rejection of God. However, when an individual refuses to submit themselves to Scripture or the process of forgiveness and reconciliation laid out in Scripture, I do recognize something bigger is going on than just a rejection of me personally and that helps me gain perspective.

It also gives me an occasion to reflection on my own life. Where am I rejecting God as king? Where am I rejecting the Lordship of Christ in my life? Where am I seeking to compromise and live just like my unbelieving neighbors? Where am I giving into the temptation to pursue the American Dream over the call to deny myself and follow Jesus? You see, this isn’t just everyone else’s issue. It’s mine as well. And it brings me to my knees confession and repentance before the Lord.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 9-12

Why it Matters - Trust

Readings for today: 1 Samuel 1-3

Hannah is one of my favorite people in the Bible. Probably because I have met many women like her over the years. Women of great faith. Women of deep trust. Women who believe with all their hearts. They often endure incredible hardship and suffering. They are full of grief and pain. They’ve endured terrible trauma. But still they seek God. Still they serve God. One of the things I get to do when I travel to places like Ethiopia or South Sudan or Uganda is sit with women and listen to their stories. Many of them have been sexually abused. Many of them have lost children. Many of them have been beaten and bear the scars of physical violence on their bodies. Somehow they find the strength to endure. It’s incredible and frankly miraculous. Sadly, I see some of the same dynamics here at home as well. Despite the “progressive” nature of our modern, first world society, women still report being harassed and abused far too often. Many of them suffer deep grief at the loss of children through miscarriage or abortion. Many are beaten and bear the scars on their bodies. Many are treated as disposable in relationships. Many face discrimination in the workplace because of their gender. I’ve sat with them. I’ve heard their stories. And somehow they find the strength to endure. Again, I find it incredible and miraculous.

Perhaps that’s why I love Hannah so much. She reminds me of many of the women in my own life. She seeks God with all her heart. She trusts God even in the midst of her suffering. She is not afraid to bring to God the deepest desires of her heart. And God honors her. God answers her prayers. And even then, Hannah remains true. She never turns her back. She doesn’t seek to keep Samuel to herself. She fulfills her vow and dedicates him to the Lord. I can’t imagine the kind of faith it would take to leave your only child with the priests and return home with empty arms once again. But Hannah’s prayer says it all. “No one is holy like the Lord! There is no one other than you! There is no rock like our God! Don’t keep speaking so arrogantly, letting proud talk come out of your mouth! For the Lord is a God who knows; he evaluates what people do. The bows of warriors are shattered, but those who stumble find their strength reinforced. Those who are well-fed hire themselves out to earn food, but the hungry no longer lack. Even the barren woman gives birth to seven, but the one with many children withers away. The Lord both kills and gives life; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The Lord impoverishes and makes wealthy; he humbles and he exalts. He lifts the weak from the dust; he raises the poor from the ash heap to seat them with princes and to bestow on them an honored position. The foundations of the earth belong to the Lord, and he has placed the world on them. He watches over his holy ones, but the wicked are made speechless in the darkness, for it is not by one’s own strength that one prevails. The Lord shatters his adversaries; he thunders against them from the heavens. The Lord executes judgment to the ends of the earth. He will strengthen his king and exalt the power of his anointed one.” (1 Samuel‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬-‭10‬ ‭NET‬‬) She knows God is sovereign. She knows God is good. She knows God sees her barren condition. And she knows He will provide according to His perfect will.

Prayers like Hannah’s humble me deeply. They expose how self-centered my prayers too often are. I long for a faith like Hannah’s. I long to trust like Hannah. I long to believe like Hannah. Thankfully, as I continue to seek God year after year, I find such faith stirring up in my heart. God drawing near. God making Himself known. God showing Himself trustworthy time and again. All that I have and all that I am belongs to Him. My life and my future and my family and the church I serve and the people I love and the partners I minister alongside are all in His hands.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Samuel 4-8

Why it Matters - God is always at work

Readings for today: Ruth 1-4

God is always at work. Even when we cannot see Him. Even when we cannot hear Him. Even when we cannot feel Him. He is working behind the scenes. He is working in the forgotten corners of our lives. The hidden places where we don’t often look. As we have seen this week, the time of the judges in Israel was a time of incredible brutality, hardship, suffering, and pain. The people of God slowly abandoned their faith with each passing generation. They traded in true worship for idolatry. They traded unity for division. They traded justice and righteousness for oppression and evil. It’s hard to see how any good can come out of it. But then we read the opening words to the Book of Ruth. “During the time of the judges…” All that will follow in this book is a reminder that God is at work even in the darkest of times.

Of course, God’s work often comes out of left field. In ways we don’t expect. A famine drives a family out of the Promised Land to Moab. They intermarry with the people there. The men of the family die, leaving the women destitute. Naomi heads back to home and Ruth, her Moabite daughter-in-law, refuses to leave her side. They arrive in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. They do what the desperately poor in Israel do to feed themselves. They go to the fields and collect the leftovers from the harvesters. Of all the fields Ruth could have chosen, she found herself in the fields of Boaz, a relative of Naomi’s and a potential kinsman-redeemer. Of all the women who were gleaning that day, Boaz sets his eyes on Ruth. He protects her and guides her and provides for her so she and Naomi won’t go hungry. He then takes the additional step to “redeem” Naomi and Ruth and the property of their family. Finally, he goes even further. He marries Ruth and they have a child named Obed, the grandfather of King David.

It’s the most unlikely of stories and yet it makes perfect sense when one considers the salvation plan of God. God’s plan to save humanity always involves the family. Beginning with Adam and Eve in the Garden, Noah and his family after the flood, Abraham and his family in the Promised Land, Moses and his brother Aaron and sister Miriam, the different families judged Israel faithfully, and now Boaz and Ruth. Yes, there all kinds of geopolitical forces moving in the world. Yes, armies march and wars are fought and people suffer and great evil often runs rampant. But in the midst of it all, God is at work. He is at work in me. He is at work in you. He is bringing about His will through His family, the church.

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Why it Matters - Inhmanity

Readings for today: Judges 19-21

In 1784, a man named Robert Burns wrote the famous poem, “Man was Made to Mourn: A Dirge.” It was a lament reflecting on human cruelty, suffering, evil, and the lack of compassion in the world. One of the most famous stanzas in that poem says, “Many and sharp the num'rous ills / Inwoven with our frame! / More pointed still we make ourselves, / Regret, remorse, and shame! / And man, whose heav'n-erected face / The smiles of love adorn, / Man's inhumanity to man / Makes countless thousands mourn!” That last line in particular hits hard. Especially as we finish the Book of Judges. It’s a brutal ending to this period in Israel’s history. Rape. Dismemberment. Civil war. Thousands dead. The almost complete annihilation of an entire tribe. The raid and abduction of the women of Jabesh Gilead. Man’s inhumanity to man does indeed make countless thousands mourn!

This is one of the many reasons I love the Bible. It doesn’t whitewash the horrors of humanity. It never makes excuses or justifies the sinful actions of God’s chosen people. The reality is God’s people are just as capable of great evil as the pagan tribes around them. They more they abandon the worship of the Living God, the more they descend into darkness. The more they resist God’s will and disobey His commands, the more God turns them over to their basest and most corrupt desires. We’ve seen this cycle before. Think of the descent of man from Cain to Noah. What does God do? He destroys humanity in a flood and starts over again with Noah. Think of the descent of man from Noah to the Tower of Babel. What does God do? He judges humanity, scatters them across the earth, and starts over with Abraham. Now consider the descent of man from Abraham through Moses and Joshua to where we find ourselves in Judges today. What will God do? He will start over with the prophet Samuel and King David.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat. This is the cycle we find ourselves in even today. Humanity has brief interludes where God raises up particular leaders who lead with wisdom and godliness which leads to blessing and abundance. However, our sinful nature always takes over. We soon find ourselves descending into darkness which leads to all kinds of suffering and pain. It’s spiritual entropy on display. Things always moving from order to chaos. And what is God’s answer? Jesus Christ. The Messiah God sends to deliver us from the endless cycle we find ourselves in. He defeats the power of sin in our lives. He destroys the works of the devil. He comes to make all things new and then He sends us, His people, out to proclaim this good news to the world.

Readings for tomorrow: Ruth 1-4

Why it Matters - Compromised Leadership

Readings for today: Judges 14-18

I’ve been a pastor now for almost thirty years. In that time, I’ve sadly had a front row seat to the fall of many of my colleagues. In fact, I’ve often been tapped to lead the investigation that led to their eventual removal from ministry. Some of them fell into sexual immorality. Some of them engaged in outright heresy. Some of them refused to submit to authority. What they all had in common was compromise. Somewhere along the way, they convinced themselves that the “ends justified the means.” They believed “God was using them” which, in their minds, meant they were above any kind of accountability. When I would confront them, they would marshal all kinds of evidence as to why they were right and everyone else was wrong. They provided all kinds of excuses to justify their sinful behavior. That’s usually when I would flip open my Bible to the Book of Judges and remind them of the example of Samson.

Samson is one of the more fascinating people in the Bible. He is raised from birth to be a leader for Israel but he is also one of the most spoiled, compromised leaders she’s had to date. His weaknesses, especially when it comes to sexual desire, are as great as his famous strength. He makes the same mistakes over and over again. He is a fool in so many ways. And yet God, in His providence, chooses to use him to deliver His people despite Samson’s sin. This doesn’t mean God approves of Samson’s character or behavior. It simply means God can use whomever He wills, whether it is compromised leaders like Samson or pagan kings and emperors like Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus later on in Scripture, to accomplish His plans for His people and the world.

This is a sobering truth. It should humble every single one of us. I hope we never find ourselves as compromised as Samson. I hope we learn from our mistakes. I hope we act in wisdom rather than foolishness. Most of all, I hope we commit ourselves to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. I hope we remain single-minded in our devotion to Him. But even when we fail, God is faithful. He will not allow His plan to be derailed. He will not allow His purposes to be cut short. He will use us in spite of our weaknesses so that He gets all the glory for what He accomplishes in and through us.

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 19-21

Why it Matters - Syncretism

Readings for today: Judges 10-13

Next week, I am traveling to Ethiopia. One of the things we often do when we are over there is head into the rural areas to visit village churches. As we walk along the dirt paths, we pass home after home. Most of them are mud huts surrounded by a little brush fence. In the evenings, we see children driving whatever livestock (donkeys, chickens, goats, etc.) the family owns into the enclosure. This keeps the animals safe and the house warm. It’s a common custom all over the Middle East even to this day. 

Hopefully, this places Jephthah’s tragic vow in context. He fully expected the first thing to greet him when he returned home to be a goat or a sheep or some other animal. He most certainly did not expect it to be his daughter! So when she comes dancing out of the home with her tambourine, he tears his clothes. He instantly regrets the vow he made. He feels trapped. And how does his daughter respond? Her reaction is perhaps the most surprising part of this story. She willingly lays down her life for her father! She faces her fate with courage and faith. Taking two full months to say goodbye and grieve with her friends. Two full months to weep over what could have been. 

It’s a story that baffles us on a lot of levels. How could Jephthah sacrifice his own flesh and blood? How could Jephthah’s daughter willingly lay down her life? And where is God in all of this? Is He pleased? The cultural distance between this world and our own is almost insurmountable. However, the key to understanding comes in Judges 11:23-24, “Since the Lord God of Israel has driven out the Amorites before his people Israel, do you think you can just take it from them? You have the right to take what Chemosh your god gives you, but we will take the land of all whom the Lord our God has driven out before us.” You see, everyone in the ancient near east believed in the gods. Dagon for the Philistines. Chemosh for the Amorites. Molech for the Ammonites. Every tribe had their own deity. Make the right sacrifices and you were awarded with great wealth, military might, and political power. Make the wrong sacrifices and your deity would turn his face from you, resulting in defeat. One some level, the same held true for Israel. The further they got from Moses and Joshua, the more they adopted the ways of the Canaanites. Yahweh ceased, on some level, to be the One True God and became just another tribal deity to be appeased. Thus, Jepthah’s tragic choice to sacrifice his daughter and her tragic choice to accept her fate. And the most important takeaway from the whole account is God’s silence. Nowhere does the Bible say God is pleased with Jephthah’s decision.

What about us? We claim to worship the supreme God of the universe. We claim to know the King of kings and Lord of lords. We claim to be heirs of His eternal Kingdom. But do our lives reflect this truth? How much have we accommodated to the ways of this world? Brought God down to our level? Limited Him to our tribe? Reduced Him to our personal deity? 

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 14-18

Why it Matters - Overwhelming Odds

Readings for today: Judges 6-9

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard someone say to me, “God won’t give us more than we can handle.” And first blush, it sounds good. It taps into God’s caring and compassionate nature and it makes us feel safe and secure and protected. The only problem is it isn’t true. I’ve read the Bible too many times and walked with too many people and seen too many things over the course of my life to believe this lie. In my experience, both personally and professionally, God often gives us more than we can handle so we will learn to rely on Him. He often takes us beyond our own strength and resources and abilities so we will learn to depend on Him. What God wants more than anything else is to teach us to walk by faith and not by sight and that doesn’t happen naturally. We must be pushed out of our comfort zones. We must be forced to come to grips with our weaknesses in order to experience God’s strength. It is only when we have nowhere to run and nowhere to hide and we’ve exhausted all our options that we experience the miraculous provision of God.

Consider the example of Gideon. Called to deliver God’s people from the hands of the powerful Midians, he would not be Israel’s first choice to be their leader. He comes from the weakest clan in his tribe. He himself is the youngest member of his family. He also lacks any kind of self-confidence which is why he has to test God’s call by putting out the fleece. Twice. And then when he summons the armies of Israel to fight against Midian, God removes almost all of them. He leaves Gideon only three hundred men to take on the combined might of the Midians and Amalekites. Their numbers were overwhelming. All the odds were against him. There is no way Gideon can succeed by human strength. Talk about God giving him more than he can handle! He’s sending Gideon on what looks to be a suicide mission by human terms! But Gideon trusts the Lord. Gideon takes God at His Word. Gideon believes God and obeys His will and follows through on His plan and the result is a miraculous victory. One only the Lord could orchestrate which is why He gets all the glory. And that’s really the point, isn’t it? God giving us more than we can handle so His power will be revealed in our weakness and we learn that His strength and grace and faithfulness is sufficient.

I don’t know about you but I can look back at several moments over the course of my own life when I was out over my skis. I was overextended beyond my resources and strength. I was failing and flailing as I tried every which way but sideways to extricate myself from my predicament. All to no avail. Finally, I prayed to the Lord. I asked Him to intervene. I stopped trying to strive in my own strength and instead began to walk in obedience to His will. Submit my life to His plan regardless of how crazy it seemed. Many of my friends and family didn’t understand. They gave me all kinds of advice and encouraged me to put my head down and work harder. But thankfully I knew the Lord was trying to teach me something important. And every time I opened my hands and opened my heart to His will, He came through. Faithfully. Miraculously. In abundance. Every single time.

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 10-13

Why it Matters - Next Generation

Readings for today: Judges 2-5

I’ve heard it said many times that Christianity is one generation away from extinction. Another way I’ve heard it put is that God has no spiritual grandchildren. The idea, of course, is that every generation is responsible to pass on the faith to the next generation and each new generation is responsible for their own response to the Lord. They cannot rely on their parents or grandparents faith but must make it their own. This hit home for me yesterday in our worship services where we got the chance to hear from several of our young people as they shared their testimonies of how they came to saving faith. It was a powerful reminder that the work of discipleship is never done. We are responsible to teach the faith to every single child from the moment they’re born to the moment they get old enough to leave the home and strike off on their own. And woe to us if we fail in this task or lose sight of its importance.

Sadly, Israel lost sight of it along the way. The generation that had wandered in the wilderness, crossed the Jordan, and begun the conquest of the Promised Land eventually died out. And as much success as they had in fighting battles and claiming new territory, they failed in the most important task of all. Passing on what they had experienced with God over the course of their lives. “That entire generation passed away; a new generation grew up that did not know the Lord or the work He had done for Israel.” (Judges‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬) I have to admit that last clause always baffles me. I can understand the new generation not experiencing the Lord’s presence in the same way as their forefathers and mothers in the faith. It’s hard to compete with the parting of the Red Sea, the pillars of fire and cloud leading and guiding Israel, manna raining down from heaven every day. But how can they not know what He had one for Israel? Did no one tell them the story of the Exodus? Did no one recount all the miracles they had seen and experienced? How was all that forgotten?

This is why it’s critical to share our own stories of faith with our children and children’s children. To recount for them all the Lord has done for us and all the miracles we have seen over the course of our lives. As my wife and I returned home from dinner with friends last evening, our twins were engaged in Bible Study with a friend. They asked us a few questions about how we learned to hear from God. It gave us a great opportunity to share some of our life experiences with them and the way God had met us along the way. I found myself thinking “I don’t do this near enough.” There are so many things I want to share with my kids about my relationship with God. So many things I need to share with my kids about my relationship with God. Passing on all that I’ve learned, all that I’ve seen, all that I’ve experienced so they can come to know God as I know Him. The last thing I want is for my kids to grow up not knowing the Lord or the things He has done for me and our family.

Readings for tomorrow: Judges 6-9

Why it Matters - Worship

Readings for today: Joshua 23-24, Judges 1

Who do you worship? Whom will you serve? It’s the fundamental question every single human being must answer for themselves. Will you worship and serve the Lord or will you worship and serve other gods? It’s also a question we don’t just answer one time in our lives. In a very real sense, we must ask ourselves this question every single day. Who will I worship today? Who will I serve today? Will it be me? Will it be money? Will it be success? Will it be a particular celebrity or political figure? Or will it be the God who revealed Himself in Jesus Christ? Who we choose to worship determines how we spend our time, our money, our energy, and attention. Who we choose to serve determines how we prioritize our lives. If we worship and serve the Lord, we will put Him first, others second, and ourselves third. If we worship and serve other gods, we will put ourselves first which results in all kinds of brokenness and pain.

The people of Israel faced this choice. They were in the midst of another major leadership transition. Moses was long gone and now his successor, Joshua, had reached the end of his own long life. Unlike with Moses, there doesn’t seem to be a clear succession plan. This makes sense on some level because the different tribes were now about to go their separate ways and inhabit their respective territories. They would each now need to raise up their own leaders. In his final address to the people, Joshua recounts everything God had done for them going all the way back to the beginning. Back to when Abraham and his family were still living in Ur. It’s a stirring testimony with one underlying warning…the worship of other gods. Terah worshipped other gods when he lived beyond the River Euphrates. Their ancestors worshipped other gods when they were enslaved in Egypt. They themselves were tempted to worship the gods of the different tribes they met as they journeyed through the wilderness. (Remember the incident at Peor that cost them so dearly.) And now they found themselves in the Promised Land where once again they would be tempted to worship and serve the gods of the Canaanites. So Joshua issues a powerful charge to them. “If you have no desire to worship the Lord, choose today whom you will worship, whether it be the gods whom your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But I and my family will worship the Lord!” (Joshua‬ ‭24‬:‭15‬ ‭NET‬‬)

Choose this day. Choose today. Choose right now. In this moment. Will you worship other gods? The gods our culture lifts up for veneration? The false gods of other religions? The gods of our own making? Or will you worship and serve the Lord?

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Why it Matters - Borders

Readings for today: Joshua 19-22

We are living through one of the greatest periods of human migration ever recorded in history. The sheer numbers are staggering. As of 2024, approximately 304 million people live outside their country of birth. That’s 3.7% of the global population and a doubling of international migrants since 1990. 36.9 million are refugees and 8.4 million are asylum seekers. Much of the migration is due to conflict or poverty or some other form of life-threatening condition. The corruption and violence in some of the countries of origin is overwhelming and many of the migrants are simply looking for a way out for them and their children. However, things get complicated as soon as they cross borders. They run afoul of immigration laws. They struggle to find adequate social services. Adapting to a new culture and new language and new systems can be extremely challenging. Some suggest the problem lies with borders in the first place. They would prefer a world without borders or a world with open borders. Some flip to the other side and want to lock down borders. Deport everyone back to their home country. Still others want some form of middle ground between the two. It’s a complicated problem with no easy answers.

The Bible talks about borders. In fact, it is God Himself who not only establishes the borders of the Promised Land but also the borders of each tribe’s inheritance within the land. Why does God care? Why not let His people simply live wherever they want to live? Especially within the boundaries of the land He gave them? First and foremost, borders are essential for civic and social organization. It’s critical to know who owns what and where and who holds power in what areas. Without such clarity, there would be chaos. No one would know who is in charge. No one would know whose rules apply. No one would know who owns the resources in a particular place. Trust me, I’ve been in places where borders are not enforced and it is not good. Many innocent people get hurt as evil people take advantage of such situations to oppress and exploit the weak and vulnerable. Second, borders established a clear historical and cultural record. Each tribe had its own unique identity and that identity was strengthened by their connection to a particular part of the Promised Land. Finally, it served to confirm the fulfillment of God’s promise. God’s promises are not abstract. They are not simply philosophical ideas or concepts. They take concrete form in the real world. The people living in the Promised Land actually got to see and experience The fulfillment of God’s covenantal promise which is a powerful testimony.

Does any of this apply to today and the debates we’re having in our own countries about borders? Yes and no. Yes, all nations need borders to define their territory. They remain absolutely essential to establish some form of political and social order. Within the boundaries of clear borders, laws can be passed and enforced. Communities can flourish and thrive. Safety and security can be maintained. Borders also help establish a clear cultural and historical identity. Not that any culture or history is monolithic, of course. There are cultures within cultures and histories within histories but borders help define whose culture and whose history we’re talking about. At the same time, God has not made covenantal promises to any nation but Israel. No other modern nation on earth gets to claim God’s sanction when establishing their borders. And the modern state of Israel herself is certainly not beyond critique. Furthermore, as we seek to apply biblical principles to modern nation-states, we must remember God demands every leader of every nation establish justice and righteousness within their boundaries. They must seek the welfare of their people rather than the preservation of their power. Additionally, every nation should seek to establish good and just and righteous immigration laws so that those seeking asylum or seeking opportunity or seeking aid can come into their territory in a safe, legal, orderly fashion and receive the care they need.

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 23-24, Judges 1

Why it Matters - Decision-Making

Readings for today: Joshua 15-18

Several years ago, I had the privilege of traveling to Israel. Among the many amazing sites we visited was Masada. The site where Jewish zealots made their last stand against the Roman Empire from 66-73BC. Once Rome built a siege ramp and breached the wall, they engaged in a final act of desperation. They committed mass suicide rather than submit to a foreign oppressor. The method they used was a biblical one. They cast lots. In fact, you can actually see the “lots” today. They look like dice. According to the Jewish historian, Josephus, the men chose to kill their wives and children first to spare them from enslavement. Ten men were then chosen by lot to kill the rest. The ten men then cast lots and one man was chosen to kill the other nine and the last man standing then killed himself.

Why cast lots? As I said, it was a deeply biblical practice. The priests in Leviticus cast lots to determine the “scapegoat” that would be sent into the wilderness. In the Book of Jonah, the sailors cast lots to determine who is the cause of the storm they find themselves in. In the Book of Joshua, lots are cast to find out who sinned against the Lord by taking sacred things from Jericho. And in our reading for today, lots are cast to divide the inheritance of the Promised Land. It’s a bit of a confusing practice. To a Western eye, it looks like gambling or a game of chance or luck. But for the ancient Israelite, this was an acceptable and normal way of discerning God’s will. They believed God was sovereign and the outcome of whatever lots were cast illustrated God’s control over events. They also believed casting lots eliminated the potential for favoritism. Finally, because they believed the outcome was determined by God, they accepted it peacefully without any kind of resistance or violence.

I don’t know many Christians who cast lots but we do engage in all kinds of different discernment practices as we seek the will of God. Just last evening, I gathered with the elders of the church I serve. We ate together. Prayed together. Studied together. And sought the will of God together. No lots were cast but lots of discussion was held. Lots of opinions offered. And now we will take what we discussed to prayer. We will specifically ask the Holy Spirit to guide our conversations and future decision-making. We will search the Scriptures together to test what we believe we are hearing from the Lord. And as we engage in these practices, I believe God will make His will known. No longer do we need to rely on mechanical methods like rolling the dice to determine where God might be leading. We have a much more certain and secure method. We have the benefit of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit which makes all the difference.

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 19-22

Why it Matters - Tension

Readings for today: Joshua 11-14

The Bible is full of tensions. Tensions the people of ancient Israel seemed to have no problem holding together. Divine sovereignty and human free will. God’s justice and God’s mercy. All nations of the earth will be blessed but Israel is God’s chosen people. Retributive justice and righteous suffering. Divine immutability and God’s forgiveness. Faith and works. All of these tensions and more are present throughout the Bible in one form or another. On the face of them, they seem paradoxical. Perhaps even contradictory. But God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts so it is entirely possible that what seems impossible to us is entirely possible for Him.

Take our reading from today. In Joshua 11:23, the Bible says, “Joshua conquered the whole land, just as the Lord had promised Moses, and he assigned Israel their tribal portions. Then the land was free of war.” (Joshua‬ ‭11‬:‭23‬ ‭NET‬‬) And yet, just two chapters later in the very first verse of chapter 13 the Bible says, “When Joshua was very old, the Lord told him, “You are very old, and a great deal of land remains to be conquered.” (Joshua‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬ ‭NET‬‬) So which is it? Did Joshua complete his task? Did he conquer the whole land? Did he bring an end to the wars of conquest? Did he fulfill what was promised to Moses? Or did Joshua fall short. Was there still territory left to conquer? How do we resolve this tension?

Some suggest Joshua had broken the back of the main political powers in the Promised Land but had yet to occupy all the territory. Some suggest it is the difference between a military campaign and territorial occupation. Some suggest Joshua’s conquest was theologically complete in that God had fulfilled His promise but Israel still needed to step into the promise through their faithful obedience. Still others suggest this is an example of the “Already/Not Yet” dynamic present in lots of different ways throughout the Scriptures. All of these are compelling on some level for those who feel the need to resolve the tension. I must admit I don’t feel the same compulsion. Over the years, I have become more comfortable living with the tension. I am content not knowing all the answers. God has revealed Himself to be much bigger and much grander than I could ever imagine. It is impossible for me to get my finite mind and heart around His infinite nature and plans. So I choose to trust instead. I choose to believe. I choose to embrace the tension because I have found it is in these spaces where God reveals more of Himself to me.

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 15-18

Why it Matters - Sacred Space

Readings for today: Joshua 7-10

One of my favorite Bible scholars is a man named John Walton. He taught Old Testament at Wheaton College for over twenty years and is an expert in the Ancient Near East. He is also the author of a series of books titled “Lost World” that cover a series of subjects like Genesis one, Adam and Eve, Torah, and the Israelite Conquest. It’s the latter of those books that helped me better understand the Book of Joshua. Especially the parts where it talks about the stoning of Achan and his family, the sun standing still over Gibeon, and the series of conquests where Joshua “annihilates” the people living in those cities. The main point of Walton’s interpretive analysis is to read these texts not as history per se but as “theological historiography.” In other words, the point of the Book of Joshua is not so much to describe “how” the conquest of Canaan happened or to offer a detailed, blow by blow account of every battle, but to explain “why” the conquest happened.

Theological historiography is a style of writing that emphasizes God’s saving activity over Israel’s achievement. And the key to Israel’s success is remaining aligned with God’s sacred order. This is why the sin of Achan is so serious. He violated the sacred order by stealing something sacred - dedicated to God - and keeping it for himself. His sin creates disorder in the camp, desecrating what was once sacred and leading to the removal of God’s presence. Furthermore, since Israel as a whole exists in a single covenant with Almighty God, his sin corrupts the entire community thus leading to their disastrous defeat in the first battle against Ai. I know this isn’t easy to understand for 21st century, Western Christians since our identity is far more individualistic than communal but it would have made perfect sense to the people of the ancient near east. Additionally, God’s miraculous intervention to make the sun stand still and rain down hailstones on Israel’s enemies is another sign that God is the divine warrior engaging in battle on behalf of His people. This only happens after Joshua purifies the camp which leads to the return of God’s presence and the guarantee of future victories. Finally, the “annihilation” rhetoric used throughout chapter ten was a common hyperbolic device used in the ancient near east to refer to overwhelming victory rather than actual genocide. All this is critically important to understand if we are to discern the true meaning of the text.

So what does any of this have to do with us today? First and foremost, these chapters from Joshua should not be read as divine sanction for holy war. There are no exact parallels between ancient israel and any 21st century nations. Second, we no longer live under ritual purity laws. Those were fulfilled through the death of Jesus Christ. He Himself under went the “Herem” or “sacred ban” or experienced “annihilation” so we no longer have to. At the same time, our covenantal relationship with God does involve the same principles it did for Israel. Alignment. Trust. Obedience. Life just tends to work better when lived in humble submission to God. Second, sin doesn’t just impact us as individuals but has a ripple effect that impacts those around us. Finally, we must trust God’s sovereignty over all of life. Because God rules over everything, every square inch of creation is sacred space and our role as believers is to work to bring the alignment of all human society under His reign.

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 11-14

Why it Matters - Memorials

Readings for today: Joshua 3-6

There is a cross near an intersection a few miles away from the church I serve that serves as a memorial for three teenagers who tragically lost their lives in a car accident many years ago. Two of those boys attended our church. They were active in the youth group. One of our pastors knew their families very well. Hundreds of people attended their service. There was even a flag football game established in their honor every year at Thanksgiving named after one of the boys. Every time I drive by that cross, I am reminded of what happened and I say a silent prayer for the families of those boys. Such is the point of memorials.

Human beings are big on memorials. It’s why we’ve built the Great Pyramids and mausoleums like the Taj Mahal. It’s why we’ve built memorials like the Washington Monument or the Lincoln Memorial. It’s why we’ve engaged in elaborate burial ceremonies and funeral rites over the centuries. It’s why we take the time to write down our histories so we can remember what took place and why it’s important. The ancient Israelites were no different. They wanted to make sure future generations remembered all God had done for them to bring them to the Promised Land so as soon as they crossed over the Jordan, they built an altar with twelve stones. “Now Joshua set up in Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan. He told the Israelites, “When your children someday ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones represent?’ explain to your children, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan River on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the water of the Jordan before you while you crossed over. It was just like when the Lord your God dried up the Red Sea before us while we crossed it. He has done this so all the nations of the earth might recognize the Lord’s power and so you might always obey the Lord your God.” (Joshua‬ ‭4‬:‭20‬-‭24‬ ‭NET‬‬) Joshua wanted to make sure the nation never forgot their salvation story. By setting up an altar, Joshua ensured that future generations would hear the Exodus story once again and praise God for all He had done for them.

Memorials are important for all of us. I actually know people who carry a small stone in their pocket to remind themselves daily of all God has done. I know others who collect special items from special places to serve as a reminder of a moment in time when God met them in a powerful way. I know others who keep a daily journal to keep a record of the ways God has shown up in their lives. (This is a practice of mine by the way. Highly recommend!) The point of memorials is to keep us from forgetting or taking for granted the many blessings God has poured out in our lives. Memorials also give us the opportunity to pass on to future generations all we have learned and experienced in life with God at our side.

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 7-10

Why it Matters - Fear of the Lord

Readings for today: Joshua 1-2, Psalms 105

What is the fear of the Lord? It appears over three hundred times in the Bible, mostly in the wisdom literature like the Book of Proverbs. It is a reference to reverence, awe, and obedience more than terror but the latter is certain present as well especially among those who do not believe. Take today’s reading as an example. For the people of Israel, the fear of the Lord manifested itself in faithful obedience to God’s commands. For the people living in Jericho, the fear of the Lord manifested itself as terror as the news of what God had done to Egypt and other nations along the way became widely known. For Rahab, the fear of the Lord manifested itself as saving faith as she risked her life to save the spies who came to the city.

If you are like me, you may have experienced any or all of these dynamics over the course of your life. I remember being terrified of God on some level when I was younger. My experience of Him was mediated through an earthly father who was highly authoritarian and often angry and verbally abusive, especially when he was drinking. So when I read about God being the judge who condemns people to hell, I wondered if I was on that list. I knew I wasn’t perfect. I knew I was a sinner. And there were times I was sure I couldn’t be saved. But then I encountered God in a different way when I was in college. I heard the gospel for the first time and my fear turned from terror to wonder and awe at what God had done for me on the cross. After coming to saving faith in Jesus Christ, the fear of the Lord took yet another turn in my life, turning to deep reverence and a strong desire to obey His commands. The longer I’ve walked with God, the more my respect for His ways has grown. I have seen and experienced the consequences of both obedience and disobedience and my heart longs to be more faithful.

Where do you find yourself in your journey of faith? Do you find yourself trembling inside when you think about the judgment to come? Are you eternally secure? Do you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you will be in heaven with Christ after you die? Have you given your life to Christ? Do you find yourself filled with gratitude and thanksgiving for what Jesus accomplished on your behalf? Has your fear of the Lord turned to a healthy respect and reverence for God’s law? Do you find yourself longing to walk more faithfully in God’s ways? These are important questions to consider today as you ponder what God might be saying to you through His Word.

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Why it Matters - Courage

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 31-34

Be strong and courageous. A phrase that appears multiple times in this chapter. Moses spoke these words to the people of Israel as they prepared to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land. He spoke them to Joshua as he prepared to hand off his leadership to the next generation. And the Lord reinforces this message by speaking directly to Joshua before Moses’ death. It makes perfect sense. The people of Israel are about to embark on a military campaign that will take them years to complete. They will fight city after city, tribe after tribe in an effort to secure the inheritance God promised them. Among the many things they will need to accomplish this mission, “strength” and “courage” would definitely be at the top of the list. Strikingly enough, however, is where their strength and courage come from. It’s not something they can muster up for themselves. No amount of training or preparation will produce the strength and courage they need. It can only come from one place and one place alone…the presence of the Lord.

Take a moment and consider all the attributes it takes to lead a rich and full and meaningful life. Qualities like strength and courage are essential as are qualities like love, joy, peace, humility, and wisdom. The Bible makes it clear that the source of such qualities is God Himself. No human being can produce these qualities on their own. Even at our best, we can only produce cheap imitations. The qualities we need are the byproducts of experiencing the abiding presence of God. Staying in step and walking with the Holy Spirit. Keeping our focus on Jesus. “Do not be afraid…for the Lord goes with you.” “Be strong and courageous…for the Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you.” “Be strong and courageous…I myself will be with you.” Over and over again, God makes it clear that strength and courage only come from Him and He is faithful. He will never leave His people for forsake them.

Do we believe God? Do we take God at His Word? Do we trust Him to be faithful to His promise? That’s the fundamental question. So if we find ourselves living in fear, we should seek refuge in the presence of God. If we find ourselves overwhelmed with anxiety, we should run to Christ and cast all our anxieties on Him. If we find ourselves in need of strength and courage to face the challenges of our day to day life, we should start each day on our knees asking God to make us aware of His abiding presence in our lives. The more aware we are, the more courage and strength we’ll have to face each day.

Readings for tomorrow: Joshua 1-2, Psalms 105

Why it Matters - Covenant

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 28-30

God has made an eternal covenant with His people. He initiated this covenant when He first called Abraham out of Ur and delivered His people from slavery in Egypt. They are His people. He is their God. And His great desire is to dwell with them just like He did with Adam and Eve in the Garden. However, human sin presents a threat to the covenant. Not in the sense that it could break the covenant. That’s not possible. The covenant God makes is unbreakable and unconditional and eternal. But sin does impact the human experience of God’s covenantal faithfulness. When we walk in accordance with God’s will and God’s commands, we will experience covenantal blessings. When we walk away from God and disobey His commands, we will experience covenantal curses. Both are a reflection of God’s faithfulness to us.

I know that’s hard to understand. It’s hard to read through the curses listed in these chapters and imagine how they are a reflection of God’s love. It’s why when the rabbi’s read through this section in the synagogue, they do so quickly and quietly, in a subdued tone to emphasize their gravity. They understand God disciplines those He loves. He refuses to let us persist in sin. His curses and divine punishments are designed to always draw us back to Himself in repentance. This is God’s heart. It’s why careful readers will note the escalation in the punishments themselves. Economic collapse. Social breakdown. War and exile. Each stage is meant to provoke reflection with the hope of return. God makes it clear that His desire is blessing not curse. His desire is favor not rejection. His desire is life not death. “Look! I have set before you today life and prosperity on the one hand, and death and disaster on the other. What I am commanding you today is to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to obey his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances. Then you will live and become numerous and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you are about to possess.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭30‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭NET‬‬)

Why do God’s punishments seem so harsh? That’s always a question that comes up when we read. And it only serves to illustrate how little we understand the depth of our sin. We don’t understand the impact it makes on us as individual human beings, on those in our community around us, or on creation and all God has made. God has a plan for our lives and for this world. When we enter into a relationship with Him there is no going back and no backing out. He will not rest until we have fulfilled His will for our lives and become the people He has created and called us to be. This is what it means to be in a covenantal relationship with Him.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 31-34

Why it Matters - First Fruits

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 24-27

Gratitude. Thanksgiving. Remembering all the things the Lord has done for you. My wife and I are currently enjoying some time up in the mountains. It’s her spring break and a dear family in our church generously offered their condo for us to stay in for the week. As we were eating dinner our first night here, we started talking about all the blessings we’ve been given in our lives. We talked about when we first got married. We had no money. We were living on minimum wage in Boulder, CO at the time. We had no real plan. My grades from college were so bad no seminary would take me. We had experienced significant loss. Our firstborn son, Caleb, didn’t survive past twenty-two weeks in the womb. We had no idea where life would take us. But we did know one thing. We knew God. We knew God was faithful. We knew God was with us. And we knew if we sought God’s will and walked in His ways, our lives would be rich and full. This really is the secret to the Christian life. Seek God’s Kingdom and His righteousness first and all the rest will be added to you. Take care of the things God cares about first and He will take care of the things you care about. Put God first in your schedule, in your finances, in your priorities and you will find Him filling your heart and your hands to overflowing with His blessings.

This is why the principle of first-fruits is so important. Before we do anything else, we offer to God the first and best of the fruit of our labor. For ancient Israel, this meant the first-fruits of their harvest and the first-fruits of their flocks and herds and the first-fruits of the tribute they won in battle. For us, it looks like the first-fruits of our paychecks or the first-fruits of the interest we earn on our investments. We do not give because God needs it. He doesn’t. We do not even give because God commands it though He most certainly does. No, we give out of gratitude for all He has done for us. Listen again to the prayer every ancient Israelite made when they came to make their offering of first-fruits to the Lord. “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor, and he went down to Egypt and lived there as a foreigner with a household few in number, but there he became a great, powerful, and numerous people. But the Egyptians mistreated and oppressed us, forcing us to do burdensome labor. So we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and he heard us and saw our humiliation, toil, and oppression. Therefore the Lord brought us out of Egypt with tremendous strength and power, as well as with great awe-inspiring signs and wonders. Then he brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now, look! I have brought the first of the ground’s produce that you, Lord, have given me.” Then you must set it down before the Lord your God and worship before him. You will celebrate all the good things that the Lord your God has given you and your family, along with the Levites and the resident foreigners among you.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭26‬:‭5‬-‭11‬ ‭NET‬‬) God made them a great and powerful and numerous people. God delivered them from humiliation and toil and oppression. God brought us to a land flowing with milk and honey. Because God did all these good things for us, we give out of gratitude and celebration.

So let’s talk about giving for a moment. Do you give regularly and faithfully to the Lord? Do you prayerfully consider what to give and do you give it cheerfully or out of a sense of duty or obligation? Do you give God the first-fruits of your labor or what’s leftover at the end of a pay period? When you give, do you take time to remember and celebrate and thank the Lord for all He has done for you? Let me encourage and challenge you to spend some time praying over these questions today and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you reflect on what God is calling you to give.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 28-30

Why it Matters - Historical Context

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 20-23

Many people who read the Bible assume that because every word is “divinely inspired”, it means every verse represents a timeless principle. And that’s why so many of them struggle when they hit a set of chapters like the ones we read today which talk about warfare, slavery, economics, and ritual purity in the ancient world. They can’t conceive of a God who would command the complete annihilation of the population of a city or the harsh punishment for a rebellious child or adultery in a marriage. They can’t comprehend the prohibitions against mixing seeds or plowing with different animals or mixing fibers when making clothing. It seems so strange and foreign to us in the 21st century. However, this is where historical context comes in as well as some general principles around how to not just to read the Bible but understand it.

First, ancient near east laws were commonly presented as “ideals” but the people implementing such laws were given wide discretion in their application. Laws set the moral boundaries for the nation but the judges and elders who were in charge of enforcing the laws often treated them as guiding principles rather than unbending, unyielding legislation. They applied them in a cultural context where the community was far more important than the individual and their goal was to protect and nurture and guide that community so it could flourish.

Second, the biblical authors often used hyperbole, particularly when it came to their military campaigns. This was very common in the ancient world. For example, we know the Israelites did not actually annihilate the Canaanite cities they attacked because later biblical books record those people still living in the land. Many scholars therefore believe, as I do, that what we are reading is a kind of rhetorical device, declaring total victory. We’ve seen similar language in our own time such as when President Bush declared “Mission accomplished” onboard the USS Lincoln.

Third, and this may be the most challenging aspect to get our minds and hearts around, the Bible records a theological and ethical progression as God reveals Himself and His will to His people over time. Because God has given dominion to the creatures made in His image, He is committed to working in and through us to bring about His will on the earth. He works within human systems of science, law, politics, culture, etc. to make Himself known and push us to greater ethical clarity and understanding. It’s why you don’t see God simply come out and abolish slavery though He certainly moderates the practice. For example, the women taken in captivity in battle are treated with much greater compassion in Israel versus the ancient near east nations around them. Furthermore, when you read about protections for runaway slaves, care for widows and orphans, economic fairness, and safeguarding of an inheritance against favoritism; you are beginning to see ethical advances that will eventually lead to Jesus’ own teachings like the Sermon on the Mount.

Don’t be afraid to use AI or Google to help you understand the historical context in which you’re reading. There are lots of resources available online now to help us grow in our understanding of the Scriptures and the God to whom they point.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 24-27