 Friday: Choosing Joshua
And the LORD said to Moses, Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom
is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him.
Numbers 27:18
Some people answer God's call so consistently that every step simply blends
into the rest of God's plan. Their walk with God is so natural that even
when they play a central role, glory goes to God alone. Joshua was that kind
of person.
Joshua was actively involved in the history of the Israelites for roughly
a century. As a youth he was Moses' aide. As a young man he was among the
twelve spies sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan. He was one of the
two who urged the Israelites to have faith in God and enter the land.
When Moses grew old, God chose Joshua to assume the mantle of leadership.
This new role was a natural continuation for Joshua. He was Israel's leader
when God toppled the walls of Jericho in a miraculous and decisive battle.
In the following years Joshua would lead the people to possess the promised
land. Before he died at the age of one hundred ten, Joshua challenged the
people to choose who they would serve. That was when he made his famous
proclamation, "As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
Joshua faced many challenges and obstacles as the leader of Israel, but he
did not face the kind of inner struggle that seemed to plague many other
leaders. Joshua never hid from God, and he never had to. At the end of his
life when he challenged the Israelites to choose God, it was not because
of a new revelation or a change in his understanding of God. Choosing God
had been his only way of life for over a century.
There are obvious reasons to choose God while we are focused on our pilgrim
journey. Our challenge, though, is to live like Joshua all of the time. Our
challenge is to choose God with every breath we breathe, with every thought
we think, with every act we do. Joshua is still challenging us today. Choose
God.
Eternal God, thank you for the example of your servant Joshua. Joshua
lived a long life-more than one hundred years. As long as that was, though,
in your eternal reign, Joshua's life lasted only a brief moment. Even so,
Lord, from before the Christian era through the end of all time, Joshua's
life has eternal significance because every day he made an eternal choice.
Every day, Lord, Joshua chose you. Give me the wisdom and the courage to
do likewise. Lord, today I choose you. Amen.
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