How quickly things change. Shortly after the greatest delivery they could imagine in which the very walls of a strong city had crumbled before them, the people now questioned God’s motives. Even their ordained leader lay on his face asking God, “Why did you bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?”

After forty years of wandering the people had finally crossed the Jordan. God did a great miracle by stopping the river, during flood stage. This boosted the morale of Israel and demoralized the enemy. The enemy had already expressed fear of Israel and their God in the words of Rahab the harlot: “When we heard of [your conquests] our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God of heaven above and on the earth below” (Joshua 2:11).

Their first campaign had been Jericho, one of the strongest defended cities of ancient Canaan. Rather than humanly besieging the city, they marched around the city once a day for six days then retired to their camp. On the seventh they walked around the city seven times blowing trumpets and shouting. Siege work was so difficult that it often took years to subdue a well defended and supplied city. A perimeter would be set up to keep out supplies and starve the city into either submission or a weakened state, for a costly assault. Not this time. God handed the city to Israel in a week. But how quickly people change when the situation changes.

Before assaulting their next target, Ai, Israel got proud. Spies reported they had no need of the whole people, only two or three thousand were needed. This force was dispatched but was quickly routed by the enemy. Now rather than asking what had prompted God’s punishment, they longed to be back on the other side of the Jordan (Joshua 7:7). We do the same thing in our own lives today.

We get wrapped up in situations and allow the moment to dictate our faith and feelings about God. When things go well, we feel warmly about God and his love for us. When things go wrong we quickly question God’s love and forget all the good things. God’s response to Joshua is something we need to hear, “Stand up! What are you doing on your face? Israel has sinned . . .” (Joshua 7:10f). Yes, it would be good if God would speak to us in this way and I don’t doubt that he can and that with some he does, but he can also speak to us through this story and his words to Joshua.

When the situations around us turn bad it is acceptable for people of faith to question our conduct and wonder if God is punishing us. If we find something, the situation can lead us to repentance.  The problem comes when we doubt God’s love and wallow in self-pity. Scripture tells us, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were yet sinners, Christ dies for us” (Romans 5:8). Paul goes on to tell us in Romans 8:38f that nothing can separate us from God’s love. Even when he punishes us it is as sons being corrected. God is not vindictive to his children; everything done is for their good—everything done is for our good. When you see the world pressing in, remember that his love will not falter and He will be there. He will permit things in your life to rebuke, to correct, to teach, or strengthen you. Rather than falling on your face in fear and trembling, fall on your face in awe that God loves and will never leave you. Keep in mind that you have something they did not have. You have God in the flesh, Jesus Christ, who came and died for you t rise again. Such apocalyptic love is all consuming and unwavering—never changing faltering. Rest in it and thank him for it. Express your love to him in the darkest moments and remind yourself of the good things He has done.

Have you considered what will be said about you after your death? Eulogies are an opportunity for family and friends to share impressions of your life. Great works are often inspired by the thought of being remembered and praised after death. We see this as a president nears the end of his time in office and questions arise about the legacy he’ll leave behind.  I remember one funeral that I did where no eulogy was offered by any of the family. This person had come to Christ late and had previously lived a hard, mean existence. None of the family had a single nice thing to say. Though it was good that this person had accepted the Lord it was sad imagining a life without praise. Other funerals left me thinking of eternity; this one left me thinking of life and how it’s lived.

Recently, after a brief moment of prayer, I found myself thinking again about life and what we leave behind. I had prayerfully said, “Lord, all I want out of life is to please you.” Immediately I felt a twinge of conscience and the thought came, “No, You are expending more effort building a life to please yourself than a life that pleases God.” I truly believe this thought came from the Lord to inspire me to refocus. This I am prayerfully doing. Though I do not expect this to change a great deal of what I am doing, it will shake up and realign my reasons for what I do and with that I expect a fresh energy in my life’s work.

If you find yourself wondering about the legacy you’ll leave behind, or the eulogy that will be spoken over your grave, I have the perfect one to hope for. Hopefully, when you pass on to the Lord those left behind will be inspired to say, “Your life brought honor to God.”

The titles we give to God—Eternal God, Uncaused Cause, Unmoved First Mover, Loving Father—attempt to scratch the surface of an infinitesimally complex subject. Often they are the very cause of problems in our discussions. Because of nuance defining God in human words is bound to fail. We describe Him, but only in part. We speak of Him and his attributes but he escapes definition. The greatest barrier to defining God is transcendence. Regardless of being formed in His image, God is so different from us that our greatest efforts and deepest thoughts prove inadequate. Read the rest of this entry »

During my devotional time I was reading 1 Peter and came across a passage that I have read and studied thousands of times. This time it especially stood out to me because of an experience last week with a young man who was questioning his salvation and fearful that he might be lost. I was able through talking to him and praying with him to see his faith and hear what he was trusting in so that I could show him several passages that help with assurance. He left feeling much relieved, but I guess it tuned my ear to other passages of assurance. When I read a certain passage I had to stop and chew on it. Read the rest of this entry »

The balance between law and grace is precarious. Some insist that the law must remain in effect in the New Testament to restrain licentiousness. They insist on the place of the law and reinterpret it to work in line with Christ. Others look at morality itself and see it as a bane of humanity and would declare believers free to live as they please, excess and all. Neither position is supported by scripture. Like most issues, the truth of scripture is a middle way: the law was fulfilled in Christ. We are, by grace, now equipped to live a truly holy life—not fearful of the law but animated by the Spirit. Read the rest of this entry »

This last week I found myself thinking about forgiveness. This subject had come up in a conversation with a young woman who had recognized within herself an unwillingness to forgive. I assured her that forgiveness can be one of the hardest things we as Christians are called to do. During the discussion she made a very profound admission that if she forgives it feels as if the persons who hurt her are getting away with it. This is natural, and it was this side of the issue that got me chewing on the subject. Read the rest of this entry »

Benjamin Franklin, as Poor Richard, intones, “A stitch in time saves nine.” This saying means that regular maintenance can prevent much more expensive problems later. As a kid, mom took us to the Army Navy Store for school pants. The denim was heavier than was available at the department stores so the pants lasted longer. When trying them on, you took care not to drop anything because the knees would barely bend—if it hit the floor it stayed there. These pants were meant to last! When we outgrew them, we would hand them down to a little brother or cut the legs off to make shorts. Even these herculean pants would occasionally fall prey to the adventures of a young boy. Mom, not about to buy another pair of pants until absolutely necessary, would sew and patch them. The earlier she caught the tear, the better. If it didn’t get patched quickly the tear could get worse. Childhood involved a closet full of clothing in various stages of repair. When they got too ratty to patch, the fragments would find new life as part of a quilt. Read the rest of this entry »