Joshua 23-24: Joshua continually warns the people of Israel not to promise something to God and not do it. It seems that Joshua realizes the people are fickled. 24:15 Joshua says "now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve.....but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." The people promise to serve God and Joshua warns them not to break the covenant with God. As a pastor and a member of the church who has made promises in worship, I can relate to Joshua. How many people have in front of God and the congregation made the promise to support the church with their prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness, yet do not followed through? How many have promised to love the LORD, but put others interests first? Do we as God's people take our words and relationship with God so lightly? Joshua is warning us also choose whom you will serve; make your lives match your words.
Judges 1-9: The book of Judges is a warning of what happens when people do whatever they want. The people of Israel have entered the promised land both peacefully and violently. Once they settle, "they would relapse and behave worse than their ancestors, following other gods, worshiping them and bowing down to them." What we read is people experiencing the consequences of doing wrong and not worshiping God only. During the times of the judges there was peace, when they followed their own ways turmoil and persecution. I found the parable in 9:7-15 to be quite interesting. What I read into the parable is we called to be what God created us to be. God has given each of us unique gifts and talents and abilities. God has designed each of us to bear fruit for the Kingdom, to do less is to be less than what God created.
Job 32-28: Elihu, a young man, gets into the dialogue. He criticizes both Job and Job's friends saying they both are mistaken. He informs them and us that age doesn't necessarily make us wise, but the breath of God within us. He does state that justice and judgment are in God's hands. 34:11 "for according to their deeds he will repay them and according to their ways he will make it befall them." Does this statement agree with the Christian message of salvation through faith in Jesus? Is salvation a gift or will we be judged according to our deeds? Finally is chapter 38, God begins to talk. God speaks by questioning Job, who has been questioning God all this time. I wonder are there questions God has for each of us that we are too busy talking to hear? Today might be a good day to stop and listen.
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