Josh 22-24 Hope for a new Pattern

March 17th, 22-24

       I see the book of Joshua as a giant metaphor for the lives of each of us as individuals. Coming into new life we have some enemies to caste out. Enemies that cower in fear to the God who is with us. Never the less we have to engage the fight. Sometimes the enemy is routed, sometimes our sin is our own worst enemy.
       Sometimes we get deceived.  Over time God gives victory, and yet some times those little things creep back in. In the midst of God proclaiming our inheritance, we grumble a bit, we want more and aren't satisfied with where the boundary lines are drawn. We experience victory and help out the rest of our faith community by fighting with them even when our inheritance is secured. And then we go home and find out that our families made an altar to another god.
       For the first time (at least the first time I noticed) in Joshua 24:14 we see the real root of this problem the Israelites have embedded in their heart... "throw away the gods your forefathers worshipped beyond the river and in Egypt, and serve the Lord." Just like our bad habits, addictions, hang-ups hold sway over us, the same is true for these people. This seeming addictions to throw away God for a god in what seems like just moments is replicated in our lives as well.
       A moment by moment decision to proclaim what is claimed in the rest of the passage..."But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourself this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

       The power of our past is stronger than we realize. The strength required to choose a new path will cost us much more than we imagine. That's the invitation, God's way over mine.

Be Strong and Courageous, Be Strong and very Courageous... We need the same word offered to Joshua!