Focus
Prepare yourself to discern what is and what is not of God today. Still yourself so you can hear how God is calling you.
Read
Joshua 4:14-24 (NRSV)
On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him, as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life.
The LORD said to Joshua, “Command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, to come up out of the Jordan.” Joshua therefore commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” When the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet touched dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before.
The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the east border of Jericho. Those twelve stones, which they had taken out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal, saying to the Israelites, “When your children ask their parents in time to come, ’What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, ’Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.’ For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we crossed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, and so that you may fear the LORD your God forever.”
Reflect
“Deep River, my home is over Jordan, Deep River, Lord, I want to cross over into campground” are the opening lyrics of the African-American spiritual by the same name. As it was for Israel, so it was with those who were enslaved in the United States: home was over there, on the other side of the water. Just as Moses had led the people across the Dead Sea, Joshua led them home across the Jordan.
Yet possessing these new lands came at a cost. Israel took the land of the Canaanites. Europeans crossed the waters and took the land of native peoples. It’s a common thread throughout history. Even in our day we see lands taken by the strong, justified by religious beliefs.
Jesus lived on conquered land. Rome had it down to a science as did many empires before and since. But Jesus taught a backwards theology as in the first shall be last. Our theology now should not be about boundaries, but boundless relationships between all of God’s people and property. Maybe understanding Jesus means seeing a world with no lines.
Pray
Lord, give us eyes to see the things that divide us and the courage to live without advantage over our brothers and sisters. Amen.
Go with God.
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