February 25th, 2013
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Miracle and Missionary

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Opening Prayer

Father God, it is truly in You I live, and move, and have my being. Use me today, I pray.

Read Joshua 4:10-24

[10] Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the LORD had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over, [11] and as soon as all of them had crossed, the ark of the LORD and the priests came to the other side while the people watched. [12] The men of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites, as Moses had directed them. [13] About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the LORD to the plains of Jericho for war. [14] That day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses. [15] Then the LORD said to Joshua, [16] “Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant law to come up out of the Jordan.” [17] So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” [18] And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before. [19] On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. [20] And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. [21] He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ [22] tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ [23] For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. [24] He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.”

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“God had an only son and he was a missionary and a physician. I am a poor imitation of him…. In this service I hope to live: in it I wish to die” (Dr. David Livingstone, 1813-1873).

Think Further

The echoes of the Exodus from Egypt reverberate through today’s passage. Joshua’s authority is further enhanced through the comparison with Moses. The miraculous nature of the crossing, the readiness of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh to play their part in the battles to come, and the sudden return of the Jordan to a raging torrent all highlight Joshua’s role. God’s presence is with him, so that “all the peoples of the earth might know” (24).

Mission is “our committed participation as God’s people, at God’s invitation and command, in God’s own mission within the history of God’s world for the redemption of God’s creation” (Chris Wright, The Mission of God). Joshua’s role in the crossing of the Jordan is given a universal and missionary application. The God of Joshua frees his people, opens up the land of promise and has the forces of nature under control. All Israel has to do is to witness faithfully to his saving power. They do so, not just by moving from Egypt to Canaan, but through spiritual regeneration and living as the people of God. 

How do we know today that the “hand of the Lord is powerful” (24)? What does it mean to have a right “fear [of] the Lord”? The answer is in our response to what God has done for us. God redeemed Israel from the slavery of Egypt through the crossing of the Red Sea, and now the Jordan, to bring them into a liberated state, socially, politically and spiritually. Today, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, the same aspects of redemption apply. Our lives are to be lived in his mighty power, and in gratitude and obedience to him. Only then will the nations see that the God of Israel still loves all his creation.

Apply

How would you define your mission or purpose in life? What aspects of Joshua’s character, role and activities would you wish to emulate? How will you achieve this?

Closing prayer

Lord, You have called me to share the Good News of Your love with others. Today, sensitize me to opportunities to faith sharing.

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