Joshua 5:1-7:15, Luke 15:1-32, Psalms 81:1-16, Proverbs 13:1
Today is the 12th day of April. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I’m Brian. It’s great to be here with you today as we just come in. Wherever we are, whatever’s going on, no matter what the challenges may be or the victories, we just come together as one family allowing God’s word to speak over us as we move through our next today. And, so, the next bit of territory that we’re heading into is further into the book of Joshua. We have crossed the Jordan River, this mythic moment that we’ve been working our way towards so long. And, so, now we’re on the other side of the Jordan River and we’re in the promised land, but it isn’t settled, it isn’t taken, we’ve just arrived and that’s where we’ll pick up with the story. Joshua chapter 5 verse 1 through 7:15 today and we’ll reading from the New International Version this week.
Commentary:
Okay. So, we are in the promised land and we have witnessed the first conquest of the city of Jericho and its just been mere weeks since we were standing at the ruins of Jericho. The large walled city that it may have once been is only fragmentary ruins there, but still some ruins, some of the oldest ruins of any kind of city dwelling in the world are found in the ruins of Jericho. So, Jericho was conquered and then they go to small city nearby called Ai. Ans some of the ruins of that city still exist. It’s being excavated, at least it was the last time I was there. We filmed there once. It was just kind of getting going. And they found defeat, which threw them into panic because what they were worried about is that the rest of the people would find out, certainly the reputation of the destruction of Jericho. But then to turn around and find out that they could be defeated by Ai, a small kind of village, little town, would cause everyone to band together and come against them and wipe them out. And this is…and when God spoke, “you didn’t obey what I told you to do.” And, so, there’s been things taken that were supposed to be destroyed. And it’s interesting because, probably most of us have a sense of where this story is going with this man Achan who has taken property and hidden it. But let’s look at what’s going on here because they didn’t just decide to go find Achan, drag him out and do away with him. What was commanded was that the people consecrate themselves and prepare to come before the Lord the next day and the person found with the items that were devoted to destruction then that person would be destroyed. So, what if Achan had just gotten rid of what he had taken, what he had done to break covenant on behalf of his people before God. We don’t know because he didn’t do that, and we’ll continue with that story tomorrow.
But let’s go over to Psalms for a second because…because the Psalm today brings up some important questions to consider like, does God have feelings? Right? Does the way that we live our lives affect God? Is He ever exasperated? Does He ever feel sadness? These are fascinating things to think about but when we go back to the story of Achan we could say He must have some feelings about what He’s saying because he’s exasperated that at the very first battle some have broken faith with Him. So, how would it change the choices you’re going to make today if you thought or knew that they were going to affect God. I know that might be like a mind bend. You might think, “well God is above it all and there’s nothing that I can do that could affect him in any way”. But that’s not how the Psalm reads. So, what we read from Psalms today is, “no my people wouldn’t listen, Israel didn’t want me around. So, I let them follow their own stubborn desires living according to their own ideas. Oh, that my people would listen to me.” So, this is the voice of God speaking from Psalms, and He doesn’t sound aloof or separate or disinterested because He’s not. He’s not indifferent to us and He’s never been without emotion towards people and we’ve come far enough in the Bible to see that that’s clear and as we continue this journey through the Bible we will…there’s no way we will get to the end of the Bible and not understand that God is deeply invested, hugely emotionally invested into us. God wants to know us. God wants to be known by us. We would otherwise call that a relationship. And any of us who are in a relationship or who have ever been in a relationship pretty much of any kind, doesn’t have to be a romantic or sexual relationship, a relationship that’s real, indifference doesn’t work in relationships, but isn’t it interesting how often we blame God for indifference to us all. All the while being indifferent to His heart because he’s not doing what we want Him to do. So, our reading from Psalms gives us a glimpse into what it feels like for God when we do this. So, let’s take these stories that we found in the Scripture today and consider that our actions will matter in our lives and in our relationship with God today. Not because God might punish us if we’re bad boys and girls but because he’s trusted us with His heart. That’s what happens when you fall in love with somebody, that’s what happens when you are in a relationship. So, if we’ll consider this as we move through the day with God we may begin to sense just how powerful His resolve to care for us and be with us is.
Prayer:
Father, as we do most every day, we invite You into what we’ve read, because we can use our minds to interpret and consider the words but it’s Your Holy Spirit who will plant it in our lives and make it mean something that changes the way we’re going to live today. And once again understanding that You have invited us into a relationship should strike us utterly speechless. What, else can be said when the eternal God has invited a human being into a personal relationship other than under speechless awe. But most of the time we just take it for granted because it’s just always been how it’s been. And, so, we had the audacity to say, “well, if we’re gonna be in a relationship then You better show up for me in whatever said set of circumstances I might weave myself into”. And all of these circumstances that we create for ourselves and all the chaos that we make and all of the drama that we’re manufacturing by the bucket load every day, that never had to exist, we never had to birth it into the world, it never needed to be on this planet, we could’ve walked with You. We could’ve just gone through our days with You. It’s our unrest, it’s our dissatisfaction. And, so, we try to get our identity from each other and we cause and manufacture these dramas that are nothing more than distractions. And then when we are distracted and run ourselves into a brick wall, we throw our hands up in the sky and say, “where were You when I needed You?” Forgive us, God. We are so ridiculous sometimes. We are like sheep who have gone astray. And yet even in the gospel of Luke we see Jesus telling the story of leaving the 99 to find 1. And You have come after us so many times we can’t even count. Forgive us. We are sorry for the emotional toll that our lives have had on You. And those of us who have estranged children or prodigal’s who are going through that kind of season we understand what this feels like and obviously so do You because You told the story in the gospel of Luke. But usually we focus our attention on what it is we are going through not understanding that we have put You through this so many times and You have never given up on us and You will never give up on anyone who is estranged from You including our prodigal’s. So, help us God to get our eyes back on our own lives and own our relationship with You and walk in our relationship with You and stop perpetuating darkness that does not need to be on this planet. We are here to bring light. We will never do this when we are estranged from You in any way. Come Holy Spirit, fill us from bottom to top with Your presence today we ask in the mighty and all-powerful name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Song:
Everything and Nothing - Matt Maher
Come let us return to where we were
Back to knowing life and saving words
Back to where we heard redemption speak
Where You brought us to our knees
Come let us return to Eden’s heart
Long before the fall, back to the start
Back before we covered up our sin
And took a second skin
Once upon a time
I’m lost and found
I’m saved and drowned
I’m everything and nothing all at once
I’m so far gone
But I’m already home
With everything and nothing but Your love
Come let us discover something new
Cause we’re all pilgrims on a journey to the truth
We’re all wanderers relying on a man
To help us understand
Cause everybody wants to see the proof
We’re always tripping on our pride to get to You
So blessed are the ones who haven’t seen
But still believe
Once upon a time
I’m lost and found
I’m saved and drowned
I’m everything and nothing all at once
I’m so far gone
But I’m already home
With everything and nothing but Your love
My heart is tin but love is real
I’m unconvinced by what I feel
No yellow bricks to pave this road
Oh, straight and narrow lead me home
Lead me home
I’m lost and found
I’m saved and drowned
I’m everything and nothing all at once
Oh, I’m so far gone
But I’m already home
With everything and nothing but Your love
Everything and nothing
Everything and nothing
Everything and nothing but Your love
Nothing but Your love
Nothing but Your love