Psalm Reading for June 9, 2024

 

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 138
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This is a Psalm of praise that includes various elements:

• David expresses his personal praise of Yahweh.
• He calls upon the kings of the earth to give thanks to Yahweh.
• The Psalm includes thanksgiving and supplication.

David’s introduction may seem strange to us:

I will give you thanks with my whole heart.
Before the gods, I will sing praises to you.

We are reminded that the faith of Israel was still very much in minority.  In their bondage in Egypt, they had been surrounded by the gods of the Egyptians; in Israel, even after centuries of freedom, they continued to encounter the diverse gods and goddesses of the Moabites, Canaanites, Assyrians, and so on.

David’s answer to this religious “pluralism” is to double down on his loyalty to the God of Israel:

I will bow down toward your holy temple,
and give thanks to your Name for your loving kindness and for your truth;
for you have exalted your Name and your Word above all.

Then David expresses his confidence that the fame of the Lord will spread to all the nations:

All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, Yahweh,
for they have heard the words of your mouth.
Yes, they will sing of the ways of Yahweh;
for great is Yahweh’s glory.

He is making it clear that there is only one God, who has revealed himself to Israel through his Name and through his Word — and this God deserves to be worshipped by all people everywhere.

And yet, despite Yahweh’s magnificence and majesty, he is compassionate and deeply concerned for the humble and lowly:

For though Yahweh is high, yet he looks after the lowly;
but the proud, he knows from afar.

This God, who is Lord of all creation and deserving of praise from all, is nevertheless deeply concerned for those who are victimized by the powerful. This concern derives from God’s enduring love. This inspires the Psalmist’s confidence to pray:

Though I walk in the middle of trouble, you will revive me.
You will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies.
Your right hand will save me.
 Yahweh will fulfill that which concerns me;
your loving kindness, Yahweh, endures forever.
Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.

APPLY:  

Like the Psalmist, we find ourselves in a pluralistic, and diverse culture, with a wide variety of religious, philosophical and political views. We may even find ourselves confused by the many choices that present themselves.

Like the Psalmist, our first responsibility is to turn our attention to the worship of the true God, revealed in Scripture and confirmed in our faith.  That anchors us in a solid rock in this confusing world.

We are reminded that one of the true tests of good doctrine is whether it is expressed in compassion and service toward others.  As the Virgin Mary sings in her Magnificat in Luke 1:51-53:

He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down princes from their thrones.
And has exalted the lowly.
 He has filled the hungry with good things.
He has sent the rich away empty.

RESPOND: 

How do I remain true to God in a pluralistic and relativistic world?

• Be grounded in worship and praise of God.
• Remind myself of God’s majesty, but also his regard for the humble and lowly.
• And rely on God’s lovingkindness.

Lord, keep my heart truly turned toward you; and empower me to emulate your “unfailing love and your faithfulness.”  Amen. 

PHOTOS:

“26: Daily Inspirational Bible Verses” by Tito & Eva Marie Balangue is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Old Testament for November 12, 2023

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This passage is the culmination of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites.  This is a time of consolidation and control for the tribes who now inhabit the land. Now, the aging Joshua challenges Israel to commitment.

He gathers the people at Shechem in the hill country where their ancestor Abraham had been given the promise that this land would belong to his offspring, and built an altar there to commemorate that moment (Genesis 12:6-7).  It is also a place rich with stories of their tribal patriarchs.  Place matters in the Bible.

Joshua begins by rehearsing the history that they all know — how God delivered them from slavery in Egypt, and guided them to this land, and gave them the power to conquer the native peoples who were there.

But the bottom line is his challenge to them — either choose to serve the gods of the Chaldeans that their forefathers served in the days before Abraham; or choose to serve the gods of the Egyptians; or serve Yahweh, the God of Israel.  There was to be no “both/and” about this. Their faith was not to be “pluralistic.”

Joshua himself is very clearly self-differentiated.  He knows who he is and whom he serves — Yahweh.  But he also makes it clear to the Israelites that it is impossible for them to serve God half-heartedly.  It is either all or nothing.  If they start out serving God and turn away, the results will be disastrous for them.

Like Abraham, who built an altar for worship, Joshua also creates a symbol of remembrance — the stone that will serve as a remembrance to them that they have made a commitment this day.

APPLY:  

We live in a pluralistic age of diversity.  Some might even say we are among the most syncretistic cultures in history — choosing a little from this worldview, a little from that religion, a little from another culture.  We use words like karma, namaste, jihad without even thinking about their religious implications.

Surely it can’t be such a bad thing to learn from other religions, right?

There is a half-truth here. How can we possibly understand the world view of others if we don’t engage them in conversation? And how can we possibly hope to have influence if we don’t listen?

The catch comes when we begin to realize that we must make a choice.  All paths do not lead to truth.  In fact, many belief systems are absolutely in conflict with one another.

So, it is imperative that we be confronted with the claims of the Biblical God.  These are claims that are grounded in history, and reveal a God who has entered into time and even become one of us, as the New Testament reveals.  That is either true or it is not.

Ironically, Joshua appears to be one of the worst possible evangelists, or salesmen, for his faith.  He warns the Israelites that they can’t live up to God’s demands. After all, Yahweh is holy and jealous and there will be serious consequences if they turn away.  Not much of an “open mind” I daresay!

I believe this passage reminds us of something that is absolutely vital to the survival of the nation, the church, and the family — we are the sum of our commitments.  If we say we believe in God, but we worship other “gods” such as materialism, success, pleasure, we will find ourselves looking to those things for meaning, security and the good life rather than to God.  And if our commitment to God is weakened, as when we disregard our vows of church membership, what about our vows to country, or our marriage vows?

Choose this day whom you will serve!

RESPOND: 

This classic passage reminds me again that I am the sum of my commitments.  If I am committed to the God revealed in the Bible, then I am committed to the pattern of life revealed in that same Bible.  And that means that there are certain things I will do — and certain things that I won’t.

As Bob Dylan’s song, written soon after his conversion to Christianity, tells us:

You gotta serve somebody.

Lord, you set before me life and death, and the choice between them is clear.  Choosing you is the way to life.  I am also aware that I am incapable of following your ways without your help.  I thank you that you have chosen me, and I choose to follow you — only give me the grace and strength to do what you command.  Amen.

PHOTOS:
“Joshua 24:15” uses the following photo:
“Two Tracks” by MorrisCountyNJ is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for February 6, 2022

 

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 138
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This is a Psalm of praise that includes various elements:

• David expresses his personal praise of Yahweh.
• He calls upon the kings of the earth to give thanks to Yahweh.
• The Psalm includes thanksgiving and supplication.

David’s introduction may seem strange to us:

I will give you thanks with my whole heart.
Before the gods, I will sing praises to you.

We are reminded that the faith of Israel was still very much in minority.  In their bondage in Egypt, they had been surrounded by the gods of the Egyptians; in Israel, even after centuries of freedom, they continued to encounter the diverse gods and goddesses of the Moabites, Canaanites, Assyrians, and so on.

David’s answer to this religious “pluralism” is to double down on his loyalty to the God of Israel:

I will bow down toward your holy temple,
and give thanks to your Name for your loving kindness and for your truth;
for you have exalted your Name and your Word above all.

Then David expresses his confidence that the fame of the Lord will spread to all the nations:

All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, Yahweh,
for they have heard the words of your mouth.
Yes, they will sing of the ways of Yahweh;
for great is Yahweh’s glory.

He is making it clear that there is only one God, who has revealed himself to Israel through his Name and through his Word — and this God deserves to be worshipped by all people everywhere.

And yet, despite Yahweh’s magnificence and majesty, he is compassionate and deeply concerned for the humble and lowly:

For though Yahweh is high, yet he looks after the lowly;
but the proud, he knows from afar.

This God, who is Lord of all creation and deserving of praise from all, is nevertheless deeply concerned for those who are victimized by the powerful.  This concern derives from God’s enduring love.  This inspires the Psalmist’s confidence to pray:

Though I walk in the middle of trouble, you will revive me.
You will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies.
Your right hand will save me.
 Yahweh will fulfill that which concerns me;
your loving kindness, Yahweh, endures forever.
Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.

APPLY:  

Like the Psalmist, we find ourselves in a pluralistic, and diverse culture, with a wide variety of religious, philosophical and political views. We may even find ourselves confused by the many choices that present themselves.

Like the Psalmist, our first responsibility is to turn our attention to the worship of the true God, revealed in Scripture and confirmed in our faith.  That anchors us in a solid rock in this confusing world.

We are reminded that one of the true tests of good doctrine is whether it is expressed in compassion and service toward others.  As the Virgin Mary sings in her Magnificat in Luke 1:51-53:

He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down princes from their thrones.
And has exalted the lowly.
 He has filled the hungry with good things.
He has sent the rich away empty.

RESPOND: 

How do I remain true to God in a pluralistic and relativistic world?

• Be grounded in worship and praise of God.
• Remind myself of God’s majesty, but also his regard for the humble and lowly.
• And rely on God’s lovingkindness.

Lord, keep my heart truly turned toward you; and empower me to emulate your “unfailing love and your faithfulness.”  Amen. 

PHOTOS:

“Psalm 138_2” by Baptist Union of Great Britain is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for June 6, 2021

 

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 138
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This is a Psalm of praise that includes various elements:

• David expresses his personal praise of Yahweh.
• He calls upon the kings of the earth to give thanks to Yahweh.
• The Psalm includes thanksgiving and supplication.

David’s introduction may seem strange to us:

I will give you thanks with my whole heart.
Before the gods, I will sing praises to you.

We are reminded that the faith of Israel was still very much in minority.  In their bondage in Egypt, they had been surrounded by the gods of the Egyptians; in Israel, even after centuries of freedom, they continued to encounter the diverse gods and goddesses of the Moabites, Canaanites, Assyrians, and so on.

David’s answer to this religious “pluralism” is to double down on his loyalty to the God of Israel:

I will bow down toward your holy temple,
and give thanks to your Name for your loving kindness and for your truth;
for you have exalted your Name and your Word above all.

Then David expresses his confidence that the fame of the Lord will spread to all the nations:

All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, Yahweh,
for they have heard the words of your mouth.
Yes, they will sing of the ways of Yahweh;
for great is Yahweh’s glory.

He is making it clear that there is only one God, who has revealed himself to Israel through his Name and through his Word — and this God deserves to be worshipped by all people everywhere.

And yet, despite Yahweh’s magnificence and majesty, he is compassionate and deeply concerned for the humble and lowly:

For though Yahweh is high, yet he looks after the lowly;
but the proud, he knows from afar.

This God, who is Lord of all creation and deserving of praise from all, is nevertheless deeply concerned for those who are victimized by the powerful. This concern derives from God’s enduring love. This inspires the Psalmist’s confidence to pray:

Though I walk in the middle of trouble, you will revive me.
You will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies.
Your right hand will save me.
 Yahweh will fulfill that which concerns me;
your loving kindness, Yahweh, endures forever.
Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.

APPLY:  

Like the Psalmist, we find ourselves in a pluralistic, and diverse culture, with a wide variety of religious, philosophical and political views. We may even find ourselves confused by the many choices that present themselves.

Like the Psalmist, our first responsibility is to turn our attention to the worship of the true God, revealed in Scripture and confirmed in our faith.  That anchors us in a solid rock in this confusing world.

We are reminded that one of the true tests of good doctrine is whether it is expressed in compassion and service toward others.  As the Virgin Mary sings in her Magnificat in Luke 1:51-53:

He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down princes from their thrones.
And has exalted the lowly.
 He has filled the hungry with good things.
He has sent the rich away empty.

RESPOND: 

How do I remain true to God in a pluralistic and relativistic world?

• Be grounded in worship and praise of God.
• Remind myself of God’s majesty, but also his regard for the humble and lowly.
• And rely on God’s lovingkindness.

Lord, keep my heart truly turned toward you; and empower me to emulate your “unfailing love and your faithfulness.”  Amen. 

PHOTOS:

“26: Daily Inspirational Bible Verses” by Tito & Eva Marie Balangue is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Old Testament for November 8, 2020

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This passage is the culmination of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites.  This is a time of consolidation and control for the tribes who now inhabit the land. Now, the aging Joshua challenges Israel to commitment.

He gathers the people at Shechem in the hill country where their ancestor Abraham had been given the promise that this land would belong to his offspring, and built an altar there to commemorate that moment (Genesis 12:6-7).  It is also a place rich with stories of  their tribal patriarchs.  Place matters in the Bible.

Joshua begins by rehearsing the history that they all know — how God delivered them from slavery in Egypt, and guided them to this land, and gave them the power to conquer the native peoples who were there.

But the bottom line is his challenge to them — either choose to serve the gods of the Chaldeans that their forefathers served in the days before Abraham; or choose to serve the gods of the Egyptians; or serve Yahweh, the God of Israel.  There was to be no “both/and” about this. Their faith was not to be “pluralistic.”

Joshua himself is very clearly self-differentiated.  He knows who he is and whom he serves — Yahweh.  But he also makes it clear to the Israelites that it is impossible for them to serve God half-heartedly.  It is either all or nothing.  If they start out serving God and turn away, the results will be disastrous for them.

Like Abraham, who built an altar for worship, Joshua also creates a symbol of remembrance — the stone that will serve as a remembrance to them that they have made a commitment this day.

APPLY:  

We live in a pluralistic age of diversity.  Some might even say we are among the most syncretistic cultures in history — choosing a little from this world-view, a little from that religion, a little from another culture.  We use words like karma, namaste, jihad without even thinking about their religious implications.

Surely it can’t be such a bad thing to learn from other religions, right?

There is a half-truth here. How can we possibly understand the world view of others if we don’t engage them in conversation? And how can we possibly hope to have influence if we don’t listen?

The catch comes when we begin to realize that we must make a choice.  All paths do not lead to truth.  In fact, many belief systems are absolutely in conflict with one another.

So, it is imperative that we be confronted with the claims of the Biblical God.  These are claims that are grounded in history, and reveal a God who has entered into time and even become one of us, as the New Testament reveals.  That is either true or it is not.

Ironically, Joshua appears to be one of the worst possible evangelists, or salesmen, for his faith.  He warns the Israelites that they can’t live up to God’s demands. After all, Yahweh is holy and jealous and there will be serious consequences if they turn away.  Not much of an “open mind” I daresay!

I believe this passage reminds us of something that is absolutely vital to the survival of the nation, the church, and the family — we are the sum of our commitments.  If we say we believe in God, but we worship other “gods” such as materialism, success, pleasure, we will find ourselves looking to those things for meaning, security and the good life rather than to God.  And if our commitment to God is weakened, as when we disregard our vows of church membership, what about our vows to country, or our marriage vows?

Choose this day whom you will serve!

RESPOND: 

This classic passage reminds me again that I am the sum of my commitments.  If I am committed to the God revealed in the Bible, then I am committed to the pattern of life revealed in that same Bible.  And that means that there are certain things I will do — and certain things that I won’t.

As Bob Dylan’s song, written soon after his conversion to Christianity, tells us:

You gotta serve somebody.

Lord, you set before me life and death, and the choice between them is clear.  Choosing you is the way to life.  I am also aware that I am incapable of following your ways without your help.  I thank you that you have chosen me, and I choose to follow you — only give me the grace and strength to do what you command.  Amen.

PHOTOS:
“Joshua 24:15” uses the following photo:
“Two Tracks” by MorrisCountyNJ is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for February 10, 2019

 

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 138
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This is a Psalm of praise that includes various elements:

• David expresses his personal praise of Yahweh.
• He calls upon the kings of the earth to give thanks to Yahweh.
• The Psalm includes thanksgiving and supplication.

David’s introduction may seem strange to us:

I will give you thanks with my whole heart.
Before the gods, I will sing praises to you.

We are reminded that the faith of Israel was still very much in minority.  In their bondage in Egypt, they had been surrounded by the gods of the Egyptians; in Israel, even after centuries of freedom, they continued to encounter the diverse gods and goddesses of the Moabites, Canaanites, Assyrians, and so on.

David’s answer to this religious “pluralism” is to double down on his loyalty to the God of Israel:

I will bow down toward your holy temple,
and give thanks to your Name for your loving kindness and for your truth;
for you have exalted your Name and your Word above all.

Then David expresses his confidence that the fame of the Lord will spread to all the nations:

All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, Yahweh,
for they have heard the words of your mouth.
Yes, they will sing of the ways of Yahweh;
for great is Yahweh’s glory.

He is making it clear that there is only one God, who has revealed himself to Israel through his Name and through his Word — and this God deserves to be worshipped by all people everywhere.

And yet, despite Yahweh’s magnificence and majesty, he is compassionate and deeply concerned for the humble and lowly:

For though Yahweh is high, yet he looks after the lowly;
but the proud, he knows from afar.

This God, who is Lord of all creation and deserving of praise from all, is nevertheless deeply concerned for those who are victimized by the powerful.  This concern derives from God’s enduring love.  This inspires the Psalmist’s confidence to pray:

Though I walk in the middle of trouble, you will revive me.
You will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies.
Your right hand will save me.
 Yahweh will fulfill that which concerns me;
your loving kindness, Yahweh, endures forever.
Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.

APPLY:  

Like the Psalmist, we find ourselves in a pluralistic, and diverse culture, with a wide variety of religious, philosophical and political views. We may even find ourselves confused by the many choices that present themselves.

Like the Psalmist, our first responsibility is to turn our attention to the  worship of the true God, revealed in Scripture and confirmed in our faith.  That anchors us in a solid rock in this confusing world.

We are reminded that one of the true tests of good doctrine is whether it is expressed in compassion and service toward others.  As the Virgin Mary sings in her Magnificat in Luke 1:51-53:

He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down princes from their thrones.
And has exalted the lowly.
 He has filled the hungry with good things.
He has sent the rich away empty.

RESPOND: 

How do I remain true to God in a pluralistic and relativistic world?

• Be grounded in worship and praise of God.
• Remind myself of God’s majesty, but also his regard for the humble and lowly.
• And rely on God’s lovingkindness.

Lord, keep my heart truly turned toward you; and empower me to emulate your “unfailing love and your faithfulness.”  Amen. 

PHOTOS:

“26: Daily Inspirational Bible Verses” by Tito & Eva Marie Balangue is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Psalm Reading for June 10, 2018

 

START WITH SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 138
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This is a Psalm of praise that includes various elements:

• David expresses his personal praise of Yahweh.
• He calls upon the kings of the earth to give thanks to Yahweh.
• The Psalm includes thanksgiving and supplication.

David’s introduction may seem strange to us:

I will give you thanks with my whole heart.
Before the gods, I will sing praises to you.

We are reminded that the faith of Israel was still very much in minority.  In their bondage in Egypt, they had been surrounded by the gods of the Egyptians; in Israel, even after centuries of freedom, they continued to encounter the diverse gods and goddesses of the Moabites, Canaanites, Assyrians, and so on.

David’s answer to this religious “pluralism” is to double down on his loyalty to the God of Israel:

I will bow down toward your holy temple,
and give thanks to your Name for your loving kindness and for your truth;
for you have exalted your Name and your Word above all.

Then David expresses his confidence that the fame of the Lord will spread to all the nations:

All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, Yahweh,
for they have heard the words of your mouth.
Yes, they will sing of the ways of Yahweh;
for great is Yahweh’s glory.

He is making it clear that there is only one God, who has revealed himself to Israel through his Name and through his Word — and this God deserves to be worshipped by all people everywhere.

And yet, despite Yahweh’s magnificence and majesty, he is compassionate and deeply concerned for the humble and lowly:

For though Yahweh is high, yet he looks after the lowly;
but the proud, he knows from afar.

This God, who is Lord of all creation and deserving of praise from all, is nevertheless deeply concerned for those who are victimized by the powerful.  This concern derives from God’s enduring love.  This inspires the Psalmist’s confidence to pray:

Though I walk in the middle of trouble, you will revive me.
You will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies.
Your right hand will save me.
 Yahweh will fulfill that which concerns me;
your loving kindness, Yahweh, endures forever.
Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.

APPLY:  

Like the Psalmist, we find ourselves in a pluralistic, and diverse culture, with a wide variety of religious, philosophical and political views. We may even find ourselves confused by the many choices that present themselves.

Like the Psalmist, our first responsibility is to turn our attention to the  worship of the true God, revealed in Scripture and confirmed in our faith.  That anchors us in a solid rock in this confusing world.

We are reminded that one of the true tests of good doctrine is whether it is expressed in compassion and service toward others.  As the Virgin Mary sings in her Magnificat in Luke 1:51-53:

He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down princes from their thrones.
And has exalted the lowly.
 He has filled the hungry with good things.
He has sent the rich away empty.

RESPOND: 

How do I remain true to God in a pluralistic and relativistic world?

• Be grounded in worship and praise of God
• Remind myself of God’s majesty, but also his regard for the humble and lowly.
• And rely on God’s lovingkindness.

Lord, keep my heart truly turned toward you; and empower me to emulate your “unfailing love and your faithfulness.”  Amen. 

PHOTOS:

“26: Daily Inspirational Bible Verses” by Tito & Eva Marie Balangue is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Old Testament for Nov. 12, 2017

START WITH SCRIPTURE:

Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
CLICK HERE TO READ SCRIPTURE ON BIBLEGATEWAY.COM

OBSERVE:

This passage is the culmination of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites.  This is a time of consolidation and control for the tribes who now inhabit the land. Now, the aging Joshua challenges Israel to commitment.

He gathers the people at Shechem in the hill country where their ancestor Abraham had been given the promise that this land would belong to his offspring, and built an altar there to commemorate that moment (Genesis 12:6-7).  It is also a place rich with stories of  their tribal patriarchs.  Place matters in the Bible.

Joshua begins by rehearsing the history that they all know – how God delivered them from slavery in Egypt, and guided them to this land, and gave them the power to conquer the native peoples who were there.

But the bottom line is his challenge to them — either choose to serve the gods of the Chaldeans that their forefathers served in the days before Abraham; or choose to serve the gods of the Egyptians; or serve Yahweh, the God of Israel.  There was to be no “both/and” about this. Their faith was not to be “pluralistic.”

Joshua himself is very clearly self-differentiated.  He knows who he is and whom he serves — Yahweh.  But he also makes it clear to the Israelites that it is impossible for them to serve God half-heartedly.  It is either all or nothing.  If they start out serving God and turn away, the results will be disastrous for them.

Like Abraham, who built an altar for worship, Joshua also creates a symbol of remembrance — the stone that will serve as a remembrance to them that they have made a commitment this day.

APPLY:  

We live in a pluralistic age of diversity.  Some might even say we are among the most syncretistic cultures in history, choosing a little from this world-view, a little from that religion, a little from another culture.  We use words like karma, namaste, jihad without even thinking about their religious implications.

Surely it can’t be such a bad thing to learn from other religions, right?

There is a half-truth here. How can we possibly understand the world view of others if we don’t engage them in conversation? And how can we possibly hope to have influence if we don’t listen?

The catch comes when we begin to realize that we must make a choice.  All paths do not lead to truth.  In fact, many belief systems are absolutely in conflict with one another.

So, it is imperative that we be confronted with the claims of the Biblical God.  These are claims that are grounded in history, and reveal a God who has entered into time and even become one of us, as the New Testament reveals.  That is either true or it is not.

Ironically, Joshua appears to be one of the worst possible evangelists, or salesmen, for his faith.  He warns the Israelites that they can’t live up to God’s demands. After all, Yahweh  is holy and jealous and there will be serious consequences if they turn away.  Not much of an “open mind” I daresay!

I believe this passage reminds us of something that is absolutely vital to the survival of the nation, the church, and the family — we are the sum of our commitments.  If we say we believe in God, but we worship other “gods” such as materialism, success, pleasure, we will find ourselves looking to those things for meaning, security and the good life rather than to God.  And if our commitment to God is weakened, as when we disregard our vows of church membership, what about our vows to country, or our marriage vows?

Choose this day whom you will serve!

RESPOND: 

This classic passage reminds me again that I am the sum of my commitments.  If I am committed to the God revealed in the Bible, then I am committed to the pattern of life revealed in that same Bible.  And that means that there are certain things I will do – and certain things that I won’t.

As Bob Dylan’s song, written soon after his conversion to Christianity, tells us:

You gotta serve somebody.

Lord, you set before me life and death, and the choice between them is clear.  Choosing you is the way to life.  I am also aware that I am incapable of following your ways without your help.  I thank you that you have chosen me, and I choose to follow you – only give me the grace and strength to do what you command.  Amen.

PHOTOS:
“Choose your side” by Elias Guerra is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.