"[Joshua] is a call to fight. Loving Me and becoming holy requires that you realize there is an enemy within you who will cause you more trouble than all the enemies outside you, than even the devil....your worst enemy is in you. And I don't mean the devil. I mean your tendency to want what you want more than what I want and to think that's perfectly okay with Me. It isn't. Remember that I said your worst enemy is in you...understand that you are in a battle." (66LL)We're called to battle the enemy within us of sin: entitlement, jealousy, selfishness, idolatry, pride, desire for comfort more than holiness. I thought that as we enter this battle, it would be good to personalize God's words to Joshua for us:
Get going. Cross this Jordan River and engage the real enemy in you. Cross to the country, "the life I promise you before you get to heaven while you're still living here." I'm giving you every square inch of your life, just as I promised -- all of your life, from your relationships to your work to your family to your finances. All of your life, rescued from the sin of your selfishness, weak belief, comfort-driven commitment, good-enough Christianity. It's all yours. In the same way I was with Moses, I'll be with you. I won't give up on you; I won't leave you. Strength! Courage! Give it everything you have, heart and soul. Make sure you carry out the Revelation, every bit of it. Don't get off track, either left or right. And don't for a minute let this Book of the Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed. Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take. This is so that everybody on earth will recognize how strong God's rescuing hand is and so that you will hold God in solemn reverence always. (based on Joshua 1:1-9; 4:24)We can enter the battle, knowing that there will be mess, destruction, and work ahead of us, and then we can experience God's rescuing hand. Or, we can choose to stay on the other side of the Jordan, not risking getting our feet wet and miss the "wonder and enormity of what God must do to move His love story" forward in us.
Anyone else wondering what's ahead on this roller-coaster ride?
6 comments:
This week, I've had discussions with two people who have questions about sin. One doesn't really believe that she needs forgiveness, "I'm doing the best I can," and the other desperately wants to believe she doesn't have a sin nature, that some part of her is basically good.
As I read Crabb's words in the Joshua chapter, I thought of these women. They would HATE what he has to say in this chapter because it goes against their perceptions of their own goodness. Yet even I, who know that I'm a sinful person, bristle a little as I read that I'm my own worst enemy. But that's just my pride, one more sin I'm called to battle.
I know that I want what I want. I know that I want comfort. More than anything though, I want to know my God. He continues to draw me near, despite the real enemy in me - sin.
Thanks, Staci, for personalizing these words to Joshua for us. These words remind me of what is important and how much God is doing in my life. I, for one, want to cross the Jordan! I have experienced God's rescuing hand in my life, and I want to continue to experience it as I move forward in faith to fight the real battles.
It feels like a continuation of the heart surgery mentioned in Deuteronomy -- cutting away the calluses on my my heart.
I loved the picture Larry Crabb gave of staying in the wilderness with weak belief and satisfied with only manna; just how much we'd choose to lose out on b/c of our desire for comfort and our "good enough Christianity".
I would prefer to don my battle uniform and get to it!
You know, I am afraid of fights. I am afraid of being wounded or wounding someone else. I haven't thought about the focus of fighting the battle against my own sin nature. I guess that would require me admitting my depravity and then desiring to put it to death. I don't want to live in the desert eating manna for the rest of my life. I too want to cross that Jordan (which by the way was so cool that God dried that up just like he did the Red Sea- I love How he does things!). And Stacey, i love your statement of donning your uniform and getting to it! Me too! May I not be afraid!
I bristle too at Crabb's words that I'm my own worst enemy. And to quote GI Joe, "Knowing is half the battle." (not sure if GI Joe really said that) I want to battle the sin in me and the sins of this world. And I want to be with God every step of the way. Loved the visual of "crossing the Jordan".
Cici, I underlined that same part for Crabb's words about Joshua. The fact that our worst enemy is US makes most of the world bristle, even many Christians!
I love the reminder to the Israelites that, as they move into the Promised Land, it's not just about the battle against their enemies. It's a battle in their own hearts, not to fall in love with foreign gods, foreign women and foreign customs. Are we not the same today? Here were are, stil awaiting our beloved Promised Land, and how easily can we fall in love with the idols of this world.
God truly is having to do surgery on the callouses of our hearts!
A couple more thoughts from these first four chapters:
1) Rahab - this story is a testimony to me that pagan nations, with pagan people, can come to know our God. When people say, "what about those cultures who never have a chance to hear about Jesus?" Well, from stories like these, I know that our God is just and He will reveal Himself to people who are ready to hear.
2) Stones of remembrance - I LOVED this image - crossing the Jordan, then picking up 12 stones from the middle of the river to keep, to remind themselves and their children of who God is, of how he dried up not only the Red Sea, but the Jordan, both on the way out of Egypt and the way into the Promised Land. As I mom, I am challenged to ask myself: what are my stones of remembrance that I want to tell my children about, how God has faithfully worked in our lives? Well, for one, teaching them God's Word is FULL of these stones! May we all pass these truths onto our children and children's children!
Hi CiCi, This post isn't really related to the Joshua passage, but.... I was thinking about your discussions with those who think they are "good". Brought to my mind the evangelism style "Way of the Master". You are probably familiar with it, but if not check it out online or watch Kurt Cameron in action. It brings home the 10 commandments along with the new testament.
Most people think they are basically good - Most would say they have never committed murder (but Jesus says if you are angry with your brother then you've committed murder in your heart). Many will quickly say they have never committed adultery...but when challenged with Jesus words that lust in our hearts equates to adultery - ouch. And then the simple sin of a lie. When faced with scripture, who can say they haven't sinned? The question...not am I a good person....but am I good enough ?
Check out this link : www.areyouagoodperson.org
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