April 12, 2011

4-12-11 Tuesday, 5:16 am Springfield, 44 degrees, clear.

Yesterday, following a morning of worship planning, writing, meetings, and phone calls, Audrey and I visited the dear family of our friend and classmate Linda, as her mom is recovering from eye surgery. We spent the latter afternoon and evening planting flowers and working in the yard until dark. It was hard work, and fulfilling as Audrey placed the flowers with her artistic eye, and I dug the holes. Today I chair the district Ordained Ministry Team which meets at Wesley, and in the evening participate in our ongoing small group.

Joshua 5:1-7:15; Luke 15

Joshua encounters the commander of the Lord’s army, a man with a drawn sword. Joshua inquires “what do you want your servant to do?” He learns that he is to send the priests and the ark around Jericho once a day for six days, and then seven times on the seventh day, with the people shouting upon a signal from the priests. They were also commanded not to take any of the things from Jericho, only Rahab and her house would be spared.

Joshua implemented this plan, the walls of Jericho fell, and Rahab and her family were spared. However, a man named Achan had stolen some things from Jericho. The Lord was angry with the Israelites, and they were defeated in their attempt to defeat the town of Ai. God tells Joshua why they were defeated, that “hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.” (7:13) As I consider the people of God today, the Bride of Christ, the Church, I am pondering what might be hidden among us, things set apart for the Lord? I think this is an individual and a corporate question, to be pondered by each individual and each local body of Christ. This question reminds me of the incessant pull of the flesh toward selfishness, disobedience, covetousness and lack of faith. Offsetting these pulls upon the human spirit is generosity, sensitivity to God’s spirit, a yielded, surrendered heart, and a life that is regularly examined for anything that separates us from God. “Without holiness, no one shall see God.”

Guide me today Lord as I seek to live completely devoted to you, yielded to your will, hoping in your promises, doing your work. Guard me from selfishness and covetousness. Give me a a heart for the lost sheep, coin and son.