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

Why it Matters - Yeast

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 16-19

The first few times I read through the Bible in a year, I tended to skip over what I believed were the “minor” details. Obscure Old Testament laws regarding shellfish and mixing fibers. Esoteric religious rituals having to do with the Tabernacle. All the numbers of silver plates, oxen, and sheep that each tribe brought as their offering. These things didn’t concern me. They didn’t seem applicable to my life. I didn’t think they were relevant so I would breeze through them without really taking the time to ask why God put them in the Bible in the first place. All that changed when the Holy Spirit stopped me short in Deuteronomy 16 where the Lord begins talking about the importance of yeast. “You must not eat any yeast with it; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast, symbolic of affliction, for you came out of Egypt hurriedly. You must do this so you will remember for the rest of your life the day you came out of the land of Egypt. There must not be a scrap of yeast within your land for seven days, nor can any of the meat you sacrifice on the evening of the first day remain until the next morning.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭16‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NET‬‬) What’s the big deal about yeast? Why is God so serious about it? This is where I began to realize how important every single detail is in the Scriptures.

Yeast symbolized several things for the ancient Israelites. First and foremost, it reminded them of their history. Particularly the way God had miraculously delivered them from slavery and bondage in Egypt. After four hundred years of hard labor, they suddenly had no time to let their bread rise. They had to bake unleavened bread because of how suddenly God’s rescue came upon them. God never wants them to forget what He has done for them so He commands them to eat only unleavened bread during the Passover meal.

Second, removing all the yeast from the land for seven days symbolized an act of ritual purity. Yeast works its way through the dough by the process of fermentation. It spreads invisibly. Imperceptibly. Incrementally. Until the whole lump of dough is leavened. Sin acts in a similar manner, corrupting the people of Israel, so removing the yeast becomes an act of repentance. A way of showing God how single-minded and whole-hearted they were in their devotion to Him.

Third, removing yeast for a week would have impacted Israel’s daily meals. They would have noticed its absence. It would serve as a daily reminder as they celebrated their feasts of the Exodus. In this way, the unleavened bread becomes a teaching tool they can use to pass on their history to their children and their children’s children. Whenever a child would ask why the bread did not rise, they would recite what God had done for them.

Finally, when they came together for the feast and ate as a community, they celebrated their shared history and national unity and the covenant faithfulness of God. It was a powerful unifying symbol for the entire people of Israel no matter what their particular tribal affiliation.

As I said, no details are too minor for God. He puts them in Scripture for a purpose and the same is true for our lives as well. Every detail matters. Every thought. Every word. Every action. Every desire. God sees it all and God cares about it all and God wants to use it all to advance His Kingdom.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 20-23

Why it Matters - Idolatry

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 12-15

I remember talking to one of my kids when she was in middle school. She had a friend who struggled with deep depression and she wanted to know how best to help her. We talked about medical care, licensed counseling, and prayer. I encouraged her to share Christ with her friend which she did. Her friend told her she wasn’t a Christian and instead, believed in a spirit animal. She even described her spirit animal to my daughter. This confused my daughter so she came home to ask me about it. She asked me if I thought it was legitimate. This led to a deep conversation about the danger of idolatry. The reality is her friend believed in a lie. Her spirit animal offered her no help for her depression. Her sincerity of belief didn’t matter because the spirit animal wasn’t real. Contrast that with Jesus. A real person who lived in a real place at a real time in human history. He was born to a real family, led a real ministry, suffered and died a real death. Three days later, His tomb was really empty. He appeared bodily to His followers. His resurrection was real and that means He’s still alive today and more than able to help us in our time of need. Does that mean faith solves all our problems? Of course not. But faith is a key component, along with medical and mental health care, as we seek to process the pain this life can often bring.

Why do I share that story? It illustrates why God hates idolatry. It places in context some of the passages from our readings today where God calls for the complete annihilation of the pagan gods of the people living in the Promised Land. It’s why God refuses to tolerate false prophets among His own people. He doesn’t want His people to fall into the trap of believing something that isn’t real. God has made Himself clear. There is only one God. His name is YHWH. He alone is the creator and sustainer of this world. He alone is worthy of worship. The other gods are human creations, human projections. They don’t exist and therefore have no power to help or comfort or protect or provide. They are simply nothing. No substance. No form. No being. Worshipping them is like worshipping smoke or hot air. Furthermore, the worship the pagan gods demanded was a desecration. An abomination. They often required child sacrifice or immoral sexual fertility rites. By contrast, God wants His people to live holy and sacred lives. They are set apart to represent Him in the world. They are His chosen people. “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. He has chosen you to be his people, prized above all others on the face of the earth.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭14‬:‭2‬ ‭NET‬‬)

Sadly, the modern world is just as full of idols as the ancient world and it’s easy to fall into the trap of falsely believing that our God is just one among many. Because we live in a pluralist society where there is no state sanction of a particular religion, everyone is free to make it up as they go along. However, God’s hatred of idolatry still stands. To worship any other God but the God revealed in Jesus Christ is to engage in idolatry and to risk God’s judgment. The reality there is no other God but Jesus. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the Alpha and Omega. He is the beginning and the end. He is the first and the last. And that’s why there’s no other name under heaven by which we may be saved.

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Why it Matters - Discipline

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 8-11

Discipline seems to be a bad word these days. In fact, the opposite seems to be celebrated and promoted. Everyone is encouraged to do what is right in their own eyes. Do what feels good to them. Live life to the fullest, even to excess, without a care of how it might impact others. The results are not good. I’ve watched marriages break up as spouses seek to “live their truth.” I’ve watched children struggle for lack of discipline in the home or at school. I’ve watched people incur hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt as they live beyond their means. On a national and/or global scale, it often maps out as fraud, waste, and abuse. Political leaders taking advantage of the system to line their own pockets or accumulate power or use their influence to hurt those who might stand in their way.

How is discipline developed? Through hardship. Through trial. Through what the Bible calls “long-suffering.” The people of God had wandered in the wilderness for forty years. An entire generation had died. Now they stand on the cusp of the Promised Land. A land flowing with milk and honey. A fertile and prosperous land where they will find great wealth and success. Moses is preaching his final sermon to them. This is the last chance he has to remind them of what’s most important and what does he encourage them to keep in mind? “Remember the whole way by which he has brought you these forty years through the desert so that he might, by humbling you, test you to see if you have it within you to keep his commandments or not. So he humbled you by making you hungry and then feeding you with unfamiliar manna. He did this to teach you that humankind cannot live by bread alone, but also by everything that comes from the Lord’s mouth. Your clothing did not wear out nor did your feet swell all these forty years. Be keenly aware that just as a parent disciplines his child, the Lord your God disciplines you. So you must keep his commandments, live according to his standards, and revere him.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭8‬:‭2‬-‭6‬ ‭NET‬‬) Remember the lessons God taught you. Lessons about His provision. Lessons about His protection. Most of all, lessons on discipline. Learning to live according to God’s Word and God’s commands.

It takes discipline to follow Jesus. In fact, Jesus Himself said that following Him requires us a deny ourselves daily. Deny the sinful passions and pleasures we would otherwise indulge in. Deny excess and greed. Deny our natural tendencies to cling to pride and entitlement and make “self” the center of our lives. Jesus gets to be the center. But Jesus also knows such discipline doesn’t come naturally so He teaches us. He trains us. He takes us through hard seasons in order to refine and test us. Do not resist the Lord’s discipline when it comes for God only disciplines those He loves and His desire is for you to become like Him.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 12-15

Why it Matters - The Law of God

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 4-7

“Listen, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You must love the Lord your God with your whole mind, your whole being, and all your strength.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭4‬-‭5‬ ‭NET‬‬)

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 is the most important verse in the Jewish canon. It is known as the Shema and it is recited daily by faithful Jews all over the world and throughout history. It is the core statement of their faith. It summarizes the greatest commandment of them all. Jesus Himself will cite it when asked which commandment is the greatest. But how does one live it out? How does one love the Lord with all one’s mind, being, and strength? This is where the law of God comes in. God doesn’t leave us to wonder about His will. He is specific. He is direct. He is clear. The way we live in this world and the commands we follow determine whether or not we truly love God. It’s why Jesus says, “If you love Me, you will obey My commandments.” It’s not about earning God’s love, it’s about showing God how much we love Him.

What is the purpose of the law of God? A great question. One that’s been asked throughout the centuries. And there’’s not one answer. The law was given to restrain human evil. Just a cursory glance at history reveals the depth of depravity human beings are capable of and it’s terrifying. God sees it all and knows it all and gives us His law so that justice and righteousness will be clearly defined, giving us no excuse. The law was also given to train us in righteousness. Not just a list of “do nots”, it provides us a clear roadmap on how to live a life that glorifies and pleases God. It also lays out the blessings of obedience for all who commit their way to the Lord. Finally, the law of God was given to point us to Christ. None of us can fulfill the law’s demands perfectly. And for those who try, a deep sense of learned helplessness sets in. We know we fall short. We know we aren’t perfect. We know we are guilty. And this points us to our need for a Savior.

Now I know a lot of people reject the law of God today. Even Christians. They point to archaic and obscure regulations regarding the mixing of fibers or the eating of shellfish as examples of the absurdity of following an ancient near east law code in the 21st century. But such protests entirely miss the point. There are definitely laws in the Old Testament that are time-bound to civil and religious life of ancient Israel. But the moral law, embodied by the Ten Commandments, is clearly still in effect. God never wavers on His commitment to His law which is why Jesus deepens and expands on it in His famous Sermon on the Mount. He essentially restates the moral law of the Old Testament and intensifies it for His followers. In this way, it still fulfills the original purpose for which God created it.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 8-11

What it Matters - Promised Land

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 1-3

A few years ago, I had the privilege of visiting Israel. One of my favorite sites on the trip was Masada. If you don’t know the history of Masada, it is a two thousand year old fortress built by King Herod the Great. During the first Jewish-Roman War (66-73AD), Jewish zealots seized control of the fortress and courageously held off the full might of the Roman legions. Eventually, however, the legions were able to build a ramp up to the wall (which you can still see today) and break through the defenses of the fortress. Rather than be captured and sold into slavery, the remaining zealots committed mass suicide, thus becoming a powerful witness to future generations of Jewish courage and resilience in the face of overwhelming odds. The symbol remains so powerful that for decades, new recruits into the Israeli Defense Force would take their vows at Masada. (This has changed in recent years. Most now take their vows at the Western Wall though some special brigades still go to Masada.) Interestingly enough, when they take their vows, Jewish recruits are handed a rifle and a Tanach (Hebrew Bible containing the 24 books of the Old Testament), and promise to defend the State of Israel.

But what is the State of Israel? This is a highly volatile question. One that is the source of a lot of violence in the region. Certainly, many Arab and Palestinian groups refuse to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist. Many Muslims deny the existence of the historical Temple of Solomon as they too seek to de-legitimize Israel’s right to exist. The United Nations and many other international organizations may accept Israel’s right to exist for the sake of political expediency but certainly would never support Israel’s right to the territories mentioned in Deuteronomy, chapter three. In recent years, many left-wing political groups have joined the chorus against Israel’s right to exist. On the flip side, many right-wing political groups both within Israel and among international pro-Zionist groups do support the concept of a “Greater Israel” which is based on the boundaries set for the Promised Land in the Bible. It’s why settlement construction is taking place in Palestinian Territories and why some advocate for a complete takeover of Gaza or the rebuilding of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount.

Deuteronomy is Moses’ final sermon to God’s people as they camp on the plains below Mount Nebo across the Jordan River facing Jericho. They are poised to begin their conquest of the Promised Land. They will spend the next several years doing what all tribes and civilizations have done throughout history, carving out a place for themselves and their descendants. Their national identity will be forged in the fires of conflict and suffering and pain. They will face and fight against all kinds of overwhelming odds as the powerful empires around them battle for control of what is an important land bridge between Asia and Africa. Egyptians. Assyrians. Babylonians. Persians. Greeks. Seleucids. Romans. Muslims. Crusaders. Ottomans. British. All will take their turn ruling this particular strip of land. And though they would be exiled and displaced and persecuted wherever they went, the Jewish people never stopped believing and hoping for a day when they could return to the Promised Land. It’s why the modern nation-state of Israel isn’t just a political entity but a theological and religious one as well.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 4-7