Joshua

So, are you enjoying the book of Joshua?

I know I’ve been delinquent in writing this blog. Forgive me? I’ve experienced a long list of events, struggles, and life happenings lately. I escorted my mom to my brother’s funeral in Tucson (TSA chose to hand-search my 92 year old, 95-pound mom!), helped to decorate for my niece’s wedding the very next day, woke with a virus after that and spent days crashed on the couch. This past week, I have also discovered that one of my closest friends may be facing life-threatening cancer. Last night, my husband found out that one of his closest boating friends has chosen to enter the hospice system with incurable cancer. Kim is very sad.

In the middle of it all, I continue to teach a Bible study on Jeremiah, and go through all those normal everyday motions. Life goes on, doesn’t it?

At times like this the Words of scripture take on an almost surreal glow. My heart finds assurance there, an encouragement as refreshing as cold water in the midst of a long hike through the desert.

After all, if the words of scripture are not true, we believers have little hope; and if they are (true), our hope can never be shaken. As the apostle Paul says, even death has lost its sting. Though Keith Charboneau may die, we will see him and celebrate with him again!

So, what about Joshua?

Remember the Bible begins with the story of God, and moves on to his choosing of a man – Abraham. Their unique relationship is sealed in a covenant of blood. God says, “If you will, then I will.” The condition? Obedience. God’s choice extends to Abraham’s family. Three generations later, this family lands in Egypt as guests of Pharoah. Four hundred years pass as they move from the position of guests to slaves.

After Moses leads the Israelites from Egypt (the book of Exodus), they wandered in the desert for forty years. During this season, Moses prepared the people for their new home in the Promised Land.

As the book opens Joshua, our hero, has taken over Moses’ leadership role. His job is to take this wild group of unruly people across the Jordan and into the land. There, he must supervise as they forcefully and violently take the land from its former occupants.

His is an impossible job. How does one young, inexperienced leader get more than a million untrained men to take over a country? The answer: With God.

Read on my friends!