The year 2020 has been a tough year for everyone. Without warning, the pandemic came and interrupted our lives —we shall never be the same again. Nevertheless, this should not be an excuse not to move forward in our lives.
No doubt, there are good things that have come out of the lockdown. For example, during the lockdown, we were able to take a break from the hustle of work life and to spend more time at home. We could spend time to reflect on our life, our work, our relationships and also spend time to cultivate a deeper relationship with our family members and with God. We were also given the opportunity to learn some new skills (e.g. cooking, baking, DIY projects around the house) or to pick up a new hobby (e.g. playing a music instrument, listening to music, gardening, etc.)
There were tough times too. The pandemic could add stress in our family relationships. It also adds anxiety as we might be affected financially. It turns our family time-table upside down. When the going gets tough, we need to come before God’s throne of grace and mercy to be refreshed.
Be refreshed in our minds
The psalmist says, “My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times” (Psalm 119:20, NIV). For the psalmist, he fills his mind with the word of God. He knows that the word of God guides him and sustains him at all times. When he was surrounded by evil and arrogant people, when he was slandered, he delighted in God ‘s Word. It is God’s word that give him delight, counsel and advice (Psalm 119:23, NIV).
Be refreshed emotionally
The psalmist was taunted by others but he held on to God’s promise of His unfailing love and salvation (verses 41-42). Being taunted and slandered may bring us down emotionally. Remember the example of the psalmist. He is able to walk in freedom and joy because he trusts in God (verse 45). He knows he will not be put to shame. If you are slandered, hold on to the Lord. Like the psalmist, he turned to the Lord and realized that blameless and righteous people will be blessed by the Lord (verse 1).
Be refreshed spiritually
The psalmist says, “My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word“ (Psalm 119:28). The psalmist delights himself in God’s Word but still, he faces sorrow and anguish. He refreshed his soul by dwelling in God’s Word. Feeling anguish is something that happens to us. Let us be encouraged by God’s Word. His Word encourages us and His Word reminds us how deeply we are loved by our Father in Heaven.
Be refreshed physically
Taking care of our physical needs is just as important. Eating nutritious food, getting blood pumping through regular exercise, getting enough sleep will refresh us physically.
The psalmist experiences God with his senses. He seeks the Lord with his heart (Psalm 119:10), he hides God’s Word in his heart (verse 11) and he rejoices at God’s law (verse 14). With his heart, he obeys God’s law (v 34). With his lips, he recounts God’s law (verse 13). He prays that God will turn his eyes from worthless things (v37) and that God will open them to see the wonderful things in God’s law (verse 18). He holds fast to God’s Word (v 31) and uses his legs to run in the path of God’s command (v 32).
The psalmist uses all of his physical body to praise the Lord. He uses his eyes, his mouth, his heart, and as an imagery, his hands and legs to seek the Lord and to praise Him.
It is my prayers that you will be refreshed in your mind, emotionally, spiritually and physically. May you experience the deep and satisfying love of God.
A couple of days ago was 11.11, a day which was made special by marketers to give us consumers many reasons to buy more. It is also called Global Shopping Festival, or Singles’ Day, or 11.11 Sale. Shops and online shops are offering tempting discounts. You can find everything: household items, kitchen appliances, electronic gadgets, laptops and phones, toys, books, jewelry, clothing, cosmetics and so on at very good discounts.
I too, took time to browse through my online shopping app and discussed with my friends what we were planning, hoping or thinking of buying.
Christmas is coming soon. This is the time where most of us are thinking of presents for our family and friends. Presents and things make us happy but most of the time, this happiness lasts only for a few months or a few years, before we forget about them and replace them with something newer and shinier.
Our self-worth does not come from the things we have. In my younger days, I used to collect action figures. I burned holes in my pocket trying to get my hands on the latest model of Transformers’ Bumble Bee, Batman figures and Star Wars figures. Do they satisfy me? Yes, but only for a short while. Soon, my Bubble Bee is but a forgotten toy with its joints slowly rusting away. A wheel fell off from another tinier version of Bumblee Bee, and I couldn’t find the wheel—it is missing. Without the wheel, it is a handicapped robot. I can’t play with it. It is now officially a junk which I had chucked it in a box in the store room.
Pre-loved things give us additional stress and take up storage spaces at home.
As Christians, how should our spending be like? Material things will starve us because they are never meant to fill us. God did not design us to be satisfied in material things. He designed us for something much greater — a relationship with Him that satisfies our deepest longings and hunger.
God designed us to be filled by Himself—the fountain of living water. This fountain is forever flowing. It never runs dry. We can drink as much as we want from it and be deeply satisfied. Let us not get too carried away with consumerism. It will be like hewing out broken cisterns that do not hold water (Jeremiah 2:13). The more we set our minds and hearts into it, the more energy we will put into something that will not last.
One helpful question to ask before buying something is: Do I really need this? What benefits will this give me? Is this God honouring and glorifying?
If we make Jesus our joy, we will spend less time stressing and worrying about what we should have. God provides all our needs. Contentment in God will open us to new joy that is found only in Him. And we will be able to taste more of His goodness, faithfulness and greatness in our lives.
For the past 2 days, I had attended 3 meetings. As we are approaching the end of the year, there will be more meetings to come to plan for the coming year.
Meetings can be draining but knowing “why” in what am I doing will help me to approach it with a better attitude and with desired outcomes to achieve. Like a boat sailing in the ocean, it will drift around aimlessly, blown to and fro by the wind and the crashing of the waves if the captain does not have a destination in mind.
If we ask ourselves “why” we are doing what we do, our eyes will be opened to the significance in life. Have you seen a person with a purpose in life? You can feel passion and joy in what they are doing. Their eyes sparkle and they work with intense focus and joy. You are drawn to their energy and admire their love for their craft.
On the other hand, there are those who hate every minute of what they do. And it shows in their bad “I don’t care” attitude. It is painful watching them at work.
There were times when I was served by cashiers and waitresses who make it a point to make the customers feel that they are a nuisance and troublesome. I was trying to be as polite as I can as customers should. Unfortunately, their frustrated faces, the unfriendly tone of their voices, their sluggish body language— I can’t help but to feel so sorry for them. They were wasting 10-12 precious hours each day, 6 days a week, to do something that they do not enjoy. What a tragedy! I feel sorry for their manager too because I will not be a returning customer, no matter how good the food or the product is.
How do you discover your “why”? Ask yourselves these questions:
What is your purpose?
What is important to you?
What are you passionate about?
Yes, I drag my feet to work on some days. I suffer from Monday Blues (or Tuesday, since Monday is my day off). But a strategy I am using is to spend more time to do the work that I am gifted in and lesser time on the tasks that drains me because I am less competent in doing them.
God gives each of us gifts. The more we practice and cultivate these gifts, the more joy and fulfilment we have in life. These gifts point us to the purpose of our lives. We do not live just for ourselves, we live in a community: we take and we give back to our community. Our gifts will also inspire others to cultivate their gifts and find joy in daily living.
God is a God of order and not of chaos. Without a sense of purpose, our lives will be chaotic. It will be dictated by the to-do-lists and someone else’s agendas instead of living in fulfilment and purpose.
As you seek God, may He show you the things that bring you passion and joy. Cultivate them and may those around you be blessed by your gifts and your life.
Jeremiah began his ministry when the Assyrians, the greatest power of the world at that time, which had dominated the world and seemed invincible, began to lose power. 114 years before, the Assyrians had taken the Northern Israel into exile. Assyria had fallen and Babylon and Egypt were seeking to take Assyria’s place as the next great power of the world. It was a politically unstable time and Judah was caught in the middle. It was in the midst of this political turmoil that the Lord called Jeremiah. God called Jeremiah to warn of the coming Babylonian invasion and the restoration that would follow the exile.
When Jeremiah began his ministry, it was during the reign of King Josiah. King Josiah brought about many reforms, repaired the temple and urged the people to return to the Lord. The people returned to the Lord. In the 13th year of his reign, God called Jeremiah to be a prophet to Israel and to the nations (Jeremiah 1:10). He was to uproot and tear down, meaning, to warn people of God’s judgement, and to plant and build up, meaning, to give a word of hope to the people.
After King Josiah, the next king was evil and the nation went back into her old idolatrous ways. The Israelites turned away from God. They worshipped idols. The priests, the kings and the prophets were far from God. That led to rampant social injustice. The widows, orphans and immigrants were suffering.
God told Jeremiah to stand at the temple gate publicly to preach God’s Word. This message was to be preached to all people, therefore, it was most likely that it was preached during one of the big religious festivals, such as Passover or the Feast of the Tabernacles. As the people entered into the temple to worship God, he warned them about religion.
The people worshipped God at the Temple but God was not pleased with them. They were going to the Temple because it made them looked good to be seen at the Temple. Furthermore, the spiritual leaders: the priests and the prophets were living in denial assuming that everything was all right because the Temple was there. They decided that the Lord would protect Jerusalem and Judah and would not allow anything to destroy the Temple. There were also fake prophets, saying that everything was all right. The false prophets said, “God will do nothing; no disaster will come upon us” (Jeremiah 5:12). They said “peace, peace” everything is fine (Jeremiah 6:14, NIV).
And so they would continue in their sin, and also go through the motions of the worshipping God at the Temple, thinking that everything were just fine.
Inside the temple, they worshipped God, and did all the required rituals, thinking that they would be accepted by God. But their hearts were far from God.
However, outside of the temple, it was a different story. These worshippers were unfaithful to God. They forsook God and worshipped idols. Jeremiah used the word “adultery” to describe their idol worshipping practice. Some even followed the pagan ways by offering their children as child sacrifices. They rebelled against God. There was injustice in the nation. They oppressed the weak, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows among them. Innocent lives were taken in the name of religion.
The Israelites had substitute worship with religion. Religion is not:
(1) Religion is not a lucky charm
“‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the Lord. 3 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. 4 Do not trust in deceptive words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!” 5 If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, 6 if you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, 7 then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your ancestors for ever and ever. 8 But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless.(vv2-8, NIV).
The people kept saying, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord”. Saying that would not save them. They had put their trust in the physical building. They thought the Temple could save them from enemies and that as a nation, their national security was strengthened. They had made the Temple their lucky charm.
For us as Christians today, wearing a cross pendant around our neck does not make us Christians. It is not a charm that brings us success or good luck or health. Some people hang a cross in their car as a lucky charm to protect them from accidents. The cross pendant and the decoration in the car is symbol to remind us of the sacrificial love of Jesus on the Cross for us. And that He had risen from the death and will come back for us and to judge the world. The cross pendant itself does not save us.
The act of worship in the temple would not save the worshippers. The people thought that as long as they were worshipping in the temple, the rituals would protect them.
The worship God was looking for was the transformation of His people: holiness, renewal of life and cleansing of the heart. Not the mere outward rituals and ceremonies.
True worship means there are changes for the better in the way we live and act. How are we living our lives? The way we live tells more powerful stories than testimonies that we say with our mouth. Are we just in our actions and in our dealings with others? Do we treat others with respect and dignity and do not oppress the foreigners or the migrant workers or our maid in our homes? Do we oppress the orphans and the widows and take advantage of them? True worship is “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). This is true worship. And we do not bow to other idols or political figures to save us. We give our whole heart and devotion to God, the maker of heavens and the earth for He rules with justice and He governs the world with His wisdom.
(2)Religion does not necessarily mean that we enjoy a healthy relationship with God
Having a religion does not mean having a relationship with God.
9 “‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury,[a] burn incense to Baal and follow other gods you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things? 11 Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the Lord.
Verse 9 mentions 6 of the 10 Commandments. You shall have no other gods before me, you shall not make idols, you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witnesses against your neighbour.
The 10 Commandments is the foundation of the covenant relationship between God and His people. The people thought that they would be safe to do whatever they like if they had performed all these rituals.
Having a religion does not necessarily mean that you are have a real relationship with God. Being a Christian does not mean you have the license to commit sins and behaviour which are morally wrong and displeases God. God forgive sins, yes, but we often bend it too far. We often takes His grace for granted and think it is ok to sin because God will forgive us when we ask for forgiveness. Let us truly repent and forsake sinful ways. God is not a machine that dispenses grace like dispensing drink from a vending machine.
If we are reading the Bible, attending church just as a ritual, it does not mean we are having a close relationship with God. Do you know the heart of God? Do you spend time with God just because He is your Heavenly Father and you love Him and enjoy Him?
Without a love relationship with God, reading the Bible, prayers, coming for Sunday worship is a burdensome chore. It is burdensome, dry and boring. But genuine relationship with God gives us joy, strength, love and fulfilment in life.
(3)Religion does not mean we are superior than others
12 “‘Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. 13 While you were doing all these things, declares the Lord, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen; I called you, but you did not answer. 14 Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your ancestors. 15 I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your fellow Israelites, the people of Ephraim.’
Shiloh was the central city of Israel. It was the centre of worship for about 400 years. It was the place where the tabernacle of meeting and the Ark of the Covenant was. Shiloh enjoyed all this glory for these hundreds of years. The people in Jerusalem thought they were better than the northern tribes because they had the Temple. But then, these glorious years ended quickly.
The Lord then drew a comparison between Shiloh where the tabernacle used to dwell and in Jerusalem where the temple now dwelled. By Jeremiah’s day, Shiloh had been in ruins for a long time. If God did not spare Shiloh from His judgement, where His Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant used to be, what would make God spare Jerusalem even though His temple was there? If the people of Jerusalem did not repent, a similar ending would come to them, as what happened to Shiloh.
Having a Temple in their city did not mean they were superior than the others. Going to church does not mean we are superior than those outside of the church.
One thing that we Christians tend to do when we talk to unbelievers is to talk down to them because they are not Christians. We can be harsh and say unpleasant things to them. Some Christians will say: you are suffering from certain illness because of your sins or the sins of your ancestors, and so on.
We are too quick to judge. We are too quick to see the speck of sawdust in their eyes and pay no attention to the plank in our own eye. We have lost compassion for others.
Yes, their souls matter. We care for them and we really want them to be in Heaven with Jesus someday. Evangelism is important but it has to match the way you live your life. If not, it will repel people from coming to know the love, mercy, holiness and grace of God. Let us evangelise with our lives, and not with words.
(4)Religion is not our safety net
Rituals will not save us. Coming to church, reading the Bible daily do not save us if we do not have a genuine relationship with God, our Creator.
Religion is not an investment. Some people hope that by putting in certain hours at church, or serving in the church, we will be rewarded with a long life, with a life with no worries, good health and wealth. If you put your trust in religion, it will disappoint you. You will still face problems and worries, your health may decline as the years go by.
Religion does not provide a safety net for us. We can only find refuge in God alone.
What kind of a Christian are we? What kind of a church are we? Let us prayerfully examine ourselves.
Are we worshipping God because it is our Sunday routine? Are our hearts far from God although we are sitting in the sanctuary or worshipping from home?
Christianity is not just a religion. It is a lifestyle. Religion does not work. Religion does not save us. God is not looking at our rituals and ceremonies. He is looking at our heart.
Jeremiah was a prophet who warned people of God’s judgment if they did not obey Him. Yet, Jeremiah also reminded the people that God is a God of Grace. God said He will punish His people, yet, He will restore.
What does God require of us? To love Him wholeheartedly. To walk with Him in humility, to care for one another, not to oppress the weak. God requires transformation from within: walking in holiness and righteousness. May our lives bring glory to God.
Malaysia has entered into the 3rd wave of the pandemic. Towards the end of the 2nd wave, people were starting to move about and life seemed to go back to normal. With the 3rd wave of the pandemic, once again, we have to remind ourselves to be careful and to practice social distancing and personal hygiene at all times.
Now that I was not able to meet my friends as regularly, I have a chance to talk to myself— as a friend. When was the last time you were nice to yourself? It is easy to be nice to our friends and strangers, but we are not necessarily the nicest person to ourselves. We think awful things about ourselves. I am harsh on myself and say the not-so-nice things to myself all the time. Often times, we are our own biggest critic.
I am glad that I had this chance to talk to myself and be a friend to myself. Jesus said that we should love others as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39). We can not treat ourselves too poorly or else we will be devaluing ourselves from the person whom God had created us to be.
When I start to respect and treat myself better, I have a better outlook on life and am more responsive to receive the blessings and gifts that God has given to me.
Be mindful
Time slips by like sand. If I am not careful in keeping track on the use of my time, I will be overwhelmed with the tasks which needed to be completed.
Lately I have been working myself too hard. Just about half an hour ago, I was looking into the mirror and was shocked to see the dark circles under my eyes. It has been a tough and busy week, and the momentum will build up by the weekend.
I cram too much into the day. This is when I realise I have to take care of myself so that I am able to share my gifts with my family, church members and friends. Take time to be mindful of what is happening in the day and pay attention to what God is saying in every circumstance.
I keep a journal at night so that I can keep track of what happened in the day, in the past week and in the past month. Tracking my progress will help me to stay focus on what needs to be done. It may mean saying “no” to less important thing so that I can focus on the tasks that needed to be done.Time with God
2. Time with God
This is the most important one to be on this list. Time with God is the most precious part of my day. I get to be alone with God, study His Word and to be reminded of His sovereignty and how loved I am. Time with God also reminds me that the agenda of the day is set by God, not me. I am to welcome assignments from Him and to participate in His Work. It is an adventure with God and an adventure to know myself better.
3. Nourish my body
Now that I am starting to eat healthy, I do feel the difference. I am less sluggish and I feel more energized. I begin to pay attention to my body and to understand my body more, in terms of what makes me feel good and the type of food that makes me feel sick and sluggish. When I am mindful of the things I put into my body, I am showing kindness to myself. This helps me to appreciate myself. God has given me a body and this is my task to take care of it. In the past, we feed it with whatever we want because we are young and we want to satisfy our cravings for fried chicken and sweet soda. Now that I learn to feed it with the nutritious food, I feel an improvement in my overall health.
Apart from that, getting enough rest is important too. When I was functioning on 5 hours of sleep, I was irritable and made poor decisions. Now, I make it a priority to get enough sleep and rest, not just for myself, but so that I can lead better and make decisions that is beneficial to all.
I read somewhere that exercise is a way to celebrate what my body can do. When I exercise, it gives me an opportunity to thank the Lord for what I can do with my body. Just today, I can swim longer than I normally can. These little victories help me to celebrate life.
Saw an orchid during my morning walk. The morning walks refresh me.
Learning to Love and Appreciate Myself
Learning to love and appreciate myself is a journey. Jesus Christ had died on the Cross for me and had saved me from sin so that I can have a relationship with God. I am a child of God. I should treasure my life and enjoy the days that I have while on this earth. This is my personal growth during the pandemic—to see myself as a friend.
How was your personal journey during this pandemic? May you discover something wonderful about yourself and that you will treasure yourself every day.
Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is celebrated by the Chinese and it is the second most important tradition celebrated after Chinese New Year. On this day, the moon is round and bright. The Chinese believe that the full moon is the symbol of a family reunion. Families gather together for a reunion meal as well as to observe the moon. Many ancient poets wrote about the moon as it reminded them about their family back home and thus they expressed their homesickness in the poems.
Today, most Chinese families will be playing with lanterns, enjoying gazing at the full moon and having a meal with their family and friends. The Chinese will also be enjoying mooncakes— a traditional Chinese pastry which is made from wheat flour and sweet fillings, such as lotus seed paste. The mooncake is a symbol of family reunion. It is usually only eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
However, in the ancient Chinese world, not everyone was able to enjoy looking at the moon. There were superstitions that forbid those who were feeling tired to be out of their house during Mooncake festival. For the ladies who had just given birth, they too, were not allowed to enjoy the full moon, even though they might be standing at the balcony of the house. There were many other superstitions as well which people had to observe to avoid bad luck.
Superstitions are not things of the past. Regardless of how the world is changing, it seems human beings are always looking for some objects, behaviour and belief that make us feel in control of our lives. We know that in life, many things are beyond our control: accidents, bad bosses, terrible job interviews, a sickness in the body, a crisis and so on. We can not control what will happen to our health, wealth and future but if there is something we can do to increase the chances of our having a good life, we will take it.
I have friends who are Christians but they believe in lucky numbers and lucky objects which will give them good luck and prosperity. They still hold on to the Chinese superstition by looking at the Zodiac signs and finding life partners by looking at the time of birth to see if the pair is compatible.
According to the Oxford Dictionary, superstition is, “a widely held but irrational belief in supernatural influences, especially as leading to good or bad luck, or a practice based on such a belief.”
A superstition is a belief that if you do a certain ritual, it will lead to either good luck or bad luck. If you do this, you will have a good day. But if you do that, you will have an unlucky day. We may have our lucky objects that seem to bring us good luck if we carry it with us. This is the more obvious kind of superstition.
There is also subtle superstition too, one that we may not be aware of. We can be superstitious but it is a fake mask of being spiritual. For example, a Christian may say or use a specific special prayer so that God must surely listen. Or, some Christians may even take ministry as superstition: I am serving in church ministry and because of this, God will bless me. I read the Bible and pray in the morning, so that God will bless me with a good day. If we are not careful, we will turn our ministry into rituals that will bring us blessings in life. If I miss reading the Bible in the morning, something bad will happen, which I irrationally believe is God’s punishment for me. We may unknowingly turn our relationship with God into superstition.
One afternoon, a church member came into my office. She showed me crosses which she had brought from a Christian bookstore and requested for prayers of blessings for these crosses. She thought by blessing these crosses, they would protect her family and household. Crosses are symbols to remind us of the sacrificial love of Jesus on the Cross for us and His triumph over sin and death. The cross pendant on our necklace or the cross we put in our living rooms will not protect us from harm and evil—only Jesus Himself can save us and protect us.
How do we know if we are faithful followers of Jesus or we are being superstitious? A sign that we may be subtly superstitions is that we depend on other things apart from God Himself for success, good things, security and protection.
Superstition may seem to give us comfort and a sense of security but it is not the real peace that we can have. Real peace comes in knowing Jesus alone and that His grace is sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9), regardless of the external circumstances. Let us not be bound to superstition. We have been set free from fear in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has come so that we can have life to the full (John 10:10), and not a life that worries and stresses over not being faithful in following a certain ritual or behaviour.
Jesus Christ died on the Cross to save us from God’s wrath against our sins so that we will not die eternally. We are saved not because of good works but we are saved because of God’s love and grace for us. We love God and others and do good work in response to His great love for us, not because we want to get more blessings and have more successes.
Superstitions may seemingly give us a sense of control and security but the greatest security that we can have is in Christ Jesus Himself. Do you trust in Him enough that we do not need to have lucky things as crutches for a smooth sailing life? May knowing Jesus be the greatest joy and treasure in your life.
The Israelites won the battle at Jericho. The city was fortified by a strong wall but the Israelites followed God’s instructions simply by marching around the wall seven times and this strong wall came tumbling down.
The next battle the Israelites had to face was to destroy the town of Ai. Joshua sent out spies to survey the land and they came back reporting that it was not necessary for the entire army to go into battle—only two or three thousand men would be needed. It was just a small town with a few people living there. No doubt, the Israelites expected a spectacular victory but unfortunately, they were badly defeated. 36 men were killed and the fighters from Ai chased them far from the city (verses 2-5). This was the only defeat recorded in the book of Joshua. This was also the report of the Israelites being slain in the battle. Joshua and the elders of Israel mourned for the defeat and suggested that God was not keeping His promise to give them victory (verses 6-9).
It was not God who was not faithful. It was the Israelites who were unfaithful (verse 1). Someone among the Israelites had hid the “devoted things” from Jericho, which God had specifically commanded them to destroy. Because of this sin, God’s anger burned against them (verse 2), they lost the battle and lives were taken. The hearts of the Israelites melted in fear and became like water (verse 5).
“11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.” (Joshua 7:11-12)
Achan was caught. He only admitted that he had sinned when he was found out. May be he would have a better ending if only he had confessed his sin on his own. Joshua sent messengers to find the things which Achan had coveted. As a result of his sin, Achan and his family had to be put to death. The devoted things he had stolen had to be destroyed too. That was the only way that would pacify God’s wrath and that the Israelites would have victory over their enemies.
It may seem like a harsh consequence to Achan’s action until we realise if sin is not dealt with, it can contaminate the entire community of faith. We can’t hide from God. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, all-seeing and ever-present. The story of Achan reminds us to take personal holiness seriously. Our private sin will have an effect on others. Private sin not dealt with can mar the holiness of the church. We should always examine our hearts so that we are quick to turn from evil and turn back to God. If there are sins that we commit out of habits, we should ask for help and prayers to overcome them. Let us also encourage our church leaders to lovingly but firmly follow biblical standards of church disciplines so that sin will not destroy our community of faith.
In the previous post, we have read that the Israelites were to set themselves apart for the holy God through the act of circumcision. The whole Israelite nation was circumcised (Joshua 5:8). After the Passover, the Israelite ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. Then, manna (which God had rained upon them from the sky as their daily staple, except for the Sabbath day, during the 40 years in the wilderness) ceased. The Israelites then ate the food from the land. All these were dramatic changes in their lives: (1) They had made a commitment to live a holy life as their God is holy, (2) they were now adjusting to a new lifestyle. They had not been eating the produces from the land for as long as they could remember. Manna, something which carried significant meaning and comfort to them had ceased. Our God is active and living. When we follow Him, there are times when we have to leave the comfortable and the familiar just so we can step into something better which God has planned for us.
In order to take possession of the Promised Land (a land flowing with milk and honey that God had promised to give them), the Israelites first had to face a battle at Jericho. On the eve of this important battle, Joshua was awake all night. He was walking in the wilderness, perhaps with a lot on his mind: would they succeed to capture the city of Jericho? What were the best tactics to use?
The Israelites were in the Promised Land. Jericho was a hurdle they had to overcome. It seemed like an impossible task. The city was fortified with a strong wall and a strong military presence.
God was with Joshua
In his hopelessness, God appeared to Joshua in a human form—as a commander of the army of the Lord, with a drawn sword in His hand. Joshua had to take off his sandals because where he was standing was holy ground. We need to consecrate ourselves (repent and refrain from behaviours, thoughts and actions) that are not pleasing to God in order to experience God at work. That night when Joshua was contemplating on the tactic for the battle, God appeared and reassured him that He is with him. Joshua was not alone; God was with him.
God is with us. There are times we have to make adjustments and changes in our lives in accordance to God’s guidance. We will be fearful, but in our fears, God holds us with His righteous right hand and gives us courage to overcome them. In our despair, God is with us. In our moment of weakness, God wants us to know that He is our strength. When we are feeling alone, He is right here beside us.
May it be that you are encouraged by what had happened to Joshua. He was alone, yet he was never truly alone because God was with him. The battle seemed overwhelming, but God’s presence changed everything. Trust in God. And you will see the wonders God will do in your life.
When the Israelites were entering the Promised Land, it was occupied with people who did not know the Lord. How would God mark His people out from those who were not His? He marked them as His own by the act of circumcision. He gave instructions that His people were to be circumcised.
Circumcision was an outward sign which demonstrated inward obedience. It may seem just a physical act but it has spiritual meaning that marked them as God’s people. By circumcising themselves, they were setting themselves apart for God. They would be holy people. Through the Bible, circumcising is a metaphor for holiness. Moses said that he had uncircumcised lips (Exodus 6:12, KJV). Jeremiah talked about uncircumcised ears which were not fit to hear God’s Word (Jeremiah 6:10).
When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they were to consider the fruits of the land as uncircumcised for three years, but in the fourth year, the fruits would be holy, an offering to the Lord (Levitcus 19:24).
Just as Jeremiah called the people to circumcise themselves to God, they were to circumcise their hearts (Jeremiah 4:4). The heart is the well spring of life (Proverbs 4:23). It is the source of our life. From our hearts flow everything we think, say, do and act. Our heart reflects our spiritual, intellectual, social, emotional state. Circumcising our hearts means we are to open our hearts and follow God by forsaking our old ways of living. We choose to follow God.
In the Bible, God’s people were marked by circumcision. Today, God’s people are marked by the circumcising of our hearts. Are we giving ourselves to Christ? Are we walking in holiness? Our God is holy and He desires His people to be holy too.
What does holiness mean? The world makes fun of holy people by associating “holiness” with a halo on the head and wings on the back of a person or it is a term mockingly used to refer to hermit people living in the mountains and detached from the world.
We can still have fun and live comfortable to be holy. Holiness means living a life that represents Jesus Christ. We no longer say bad words or do things that harm our bodies and minds. We carefully guard our attitudes, thoughts and actions We think of these things: whatever that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8, NIV).
Walking in holiness means we disagree with evil and sinful behaviour and choose not to participate in them.
Walking in holiness is a leap of faith too. We may be ridiculed or rejected for being “holy”. This brings us to the question: who will you serve? Will it be “as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
Before stepping into the Promised Land, Joshua needed military intelligence about Jericho. He sent 2 spies into the city to spy on the land. When the king of Jericho heard about the 2 spies, he sent men to capture them. But a prostitute in the city, Rahab, feared the Lord and decided to hide these spies in her home. Her house was located upon the city wall, and so, it was easier for them to escape with a rope through the window. (you can read the previous post by clicking here: http://eireneletters.com/devotional/joshua/god-specialises-in-using-the-flawed-people-for-his-purposes-joshua-21/)
These 2 spies escaped successfully, and brought their report back to Joshua. They told him all that had happened and said, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.” (Joshua 2:24, NIV). Imagine the joy of the people upon hearing this. The Lord has given the whole land into their hands. This was the news Joshua was waiting for.
Their parents failed to enter the Promised Land due to their unbelief, and this generation was about to enter it. In the wilderness, they did not have permanent homes. They were always on the move. They were not able to plant vegetables or fruit trees, they were always in a state of deprivation. And now they would be moving closer to the Promised Land: a land flowing with milk and honey! There was great excitement and joy in the people!
Joshua gave orders to the people to set out and they came to the east shore of the Jordan River. Before crossing over, they set their camp there. The people must have felt confused and bewildered. Verse 15 tells us, “Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest”. It was a raging river at flood stage!
The Jordan River
The Jordan River was not a shallow river that people can just cross over. It was a mighty river. The name “Jordan” means “descender”. The river bed was very steep. It was 3 to 12 feet deep. There were thick undergrowth on the bed of the river. If someone tripped over them, he would be swept away by the overwhelming current.
The length of the river was about 200 miles. What is most dangerous about the Jordan River is the swiftness of the current. There were dangerous currents and the bed of the river was muddy. The current could easily sweep a man away. In the month of April (and from this passage, it should be during this time when the Israelites had to cross over), the Jordan River would double in size, from 90-100 feet in width to 200 feet in width. It was because there were melting snows from the mountain. This river is literally the river of death.
How would you feel if you were an Israelite, watching the condition of the mighty river?
You had come so far, and now, when you are looking at the river, it seems that your dreams and hopes of reaching the Promised Land is impossible— again. All your excitement and joy must have been swept away by the sounds of the gigantic waves.
Think about your life and the circumstances in your life. Each of us has our own Jordan River—an impossible task that makes us so afraid and helpless. We may feel it will lead to nowhere and that we are stuck where we are. We may be angry at God for playing such a joke on us.
We want to make it into the Promised Land but this promise is too far away and not within our grasp. There are just so many things standing in the way and too many scary hurdles to overcome and strong waves beating against us.
But Joshua decided to walk by faith and not by sight. The waves in the river might be roaring but he was confident that God was with them and would carry them through. Here are some things that we can learn from Joshua and the Israelites:
Follow the guidance of God (Joshua 3:2-4)
“2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.”
This was the sign that they were ready to cross over: when the priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord led the way.
Why was this Ark so special? If you remember during the days of Moses, when the Israelites were in the wilderness, God had given instructions to build this ark of the covenant. There were a few items inside the Ark which were holy:
*The stone tablets which God inscribed the Ten Commandments on with His own fingers. The 10 Commandments shows us that God desires a relationship with us.
*A pot of manna to remind the Israelites of God’s gracious provision during the past 40 years in the wilderness (Exodus 16:33, 34).
*Aaron’s rod. It was a stick that grew leaves and almonds to demonstrate God has the power to do anything, even to the smallest details (Numbers 17). This stick was a dead stick, and God could even bring life out of the dead stick.
All these items in the Ark were symbols that God had been with the Israelites and He was faithful. He is still with them. You see, apart from these items in the Ark, on top of the Ark was the Mercy Seat which was made of pure gold. There were two statues of cherubim, one on each side and they were kneeling down (Exodus 25:18-19). God was enthroned upon the cherubim (Psalm 80:1; 99:1). He was there with His people. He dwells with His people. The Ark was a symbol of His presence.
Today, we have the Holy Spirit who teaches us God’s commandments (Ephesians 6:17). God has also provided for our daily needs (Psalm 23:1). And we know God cares for the little details in our lives through His provision (Luke 12:7).
The Ark of the Covenant, carried by the priests, was to move into the Jordan River first, and then followed by the Israelites, it meant that God was leading the way. The Israelites only needed to see where He is going and follow Him.
Verse 4 tells us more details about the movement, “4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.”
The Israelites were to see where God was moving but they were not to get too close to the Ark. The purpose of God’s instruction was not really mentioned but perhaps so that everyone could see where God was going. Over 2 million Israelites were beside the terrifying Jordan River. All eyes could see the Ark and everyone knew God was with them.
In your life right now, may be you are able to cross the river but you are afraid and terrified of the waves and the river. May be in your mind, you think there is no way you can cross the river. It is too impossible. It is too difficult. It seems too terrifying.
What are you going to do about it? Will you be like the Israelites? Will you allow God to lead you? All you need to do is to follow Him. Follow His guidance. He is with you.
2.Consecrate ourselves (Joshua 3:5)
Apart from following the Ark, the second thing the Israelites have to do was to consecrate themselves.
“5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” (verse 5)
Consecrate means “to be holy, to set apart”. We can’t see God at work if we are marred by sins. We can’t experience God’s presence if we choose to follow the lust of our flesh. We can not serve two masters: God and other things. We have to set ourselves apart, holy, blameless and righteous because our God is holy and righteous.
(a) Repentance
Many times in the Bible, we read how God was broken hearted at the rebellion and the sins of His people. And that God had to punish them corporately for their sins.
Before they crossed over, they had to repent and set themselves apart, not prostituting themselves with worshipping other idols or commit sins. They were to ask God for forgiveness and live in holiness.
Likewise, in our daily lives, we think thoughts, or say things that hurt God and others, intentionally or unintentionally. We need to seek God, examine our lives, confess and repent of our sins. Consecrate ourselves wholly to God and desire holy living.
(b) Welcome God’s intervention
In the Old Testament times, “consecrating oneself” also means, washing clothes, practicing ceremonial rites, refrain from having sexual relation with your spouse and so on. They had to put a hold on their daily routine and to pay attention to God’s presence.
Sometimes God calls us to do something which seemingly interrupts our daily routine. Taking time to pray, taking care of someone in need, all these may seem to interrupt our daily routine but to see God at work, we have to be willing to take extra efforts to allow God to change our time table.
Step Out in Faith
God spoke to Joshua, “8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’” and “13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”
The river was at the roughest at this time of the year but God said they had to step out in faith. They first had to get their feet wet.
As James said, faith without action is dead (James 2:26). If Joshua and the leaders did not step out in faith, they would never cross the river.
Each step that you take into the unknown, you are stepping in faith. With each step by faith, you are moving closer and closer to depend not on yourself, but on God. That is where victory comes from, from God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth.
Imagine that the priests were carrying the Ark into the raging river. All of the Israelites were watching them in amazement, wondering what God would do next. As the priests were in the river, the water in the river gradually started to recede and the river became dry. One by one, the Israelites began to cross over: the old and the young, the grandparents and the babies, the youths and the adults, all crossing over a river that was once a fierce river.
Can you imagine the excitement? They were experiencing a miracle. They experienced God working miraculously in their midst.
The God who led the Israelites from the bondage in Egypt, to the wilderness, to crossing a gigantic river is still the same God today. I don’t know what your private battle and struggles are but please know that there is nothing too difficult for God.
We must follow Him, forsake our sins, repent and set ourselves apart for Him. Whatever He is calling you to do, step out in faith. Only when we step out in faith, we can move forward in our lives and in our faith journey.
