April 21

Joshua 22:21-23:16; Luke 20:27-47; Psalm 89:14-37; Proverbs 13:17-19

I wrote two weeks ago about Moses’ parting speech and what an impact it made (see post here). He passed the torch off to Joshua, who then began his long journey as the leader of the Israelites. And here we are, many years later, and now it’s Joshua who is at the end of his life and leadership. He’s led the people through the conquering of Canaan – for 7 years they fought and for 7 years they settled in the land. Now, “a long time afterward, when the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years,” (Josh. 23:1), he has some final words for the people he has led so faithfully. Can you imagine the death and destruction he’s seen? And the hope and promise he’s experienced? Truly amazing. Through it all, he never loses sight of God’s plan and what the Israelites should do in response. Look at what he says:

“Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right or to the left, that you may not mix with these nations…but you shall cling to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day” (vs. 6-8).

These are timeless words, aren’t they? We still need to be very strong today. We still need to do all that God asks of us, not being led astray by various temptations. And we still need to be careful how much we mix with the nations around us. It’s a thin line we walk, isn’t it? To be in this world but not of it. We are called to be with our neighbors, not to withdraw and set up our own communities, but we also have to take care not to mesh so much that we lose our saltiness and end up being no different than our non-believing friends. As Joshua said all those years ago, we need to cling to the LORD.

How are you doing with that these days? Is your life distinct, marked by the Spirit of God living in you? It’s good to take stock and ask ourselves some basic questions. Do our co-workers know we love Jesus and are striving to follow him? Do our neighbors see us being generous in a way that can only be explained as radical love? Do our non-believing family members know how important and life-changing our relationship with Jesus is?

Help us, Lord, to be set apart for you while we love the ones you have put in our lives. Amen.

- Esther McCurry

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