September: Reflection
It’s important to acknowledge dates and anniversaries. As we enter the month of September, my wife and I will soon be celebrating nine years of marriage. It’s hard to believe that so much time has passed since we first said, “I do”; every year I cannot help but reflect on how much we have grown as individuals and as a couple. As we pass certain milestones in our walk with God, I find it helpful to reflect on how we have grown in our faith. Consider this question, how far has God brought you since the moment of your surrender? I feel this is exactly what the Israelites were encouraged to reflect on as their journey in the wilderness came to an end. Moses had passed away and now Joshua was leading this new generation into the Promised Land.
Joshua 1:1-6
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
The truth is God’s people that left Egypt looked much different than God’s people that stood on the banks of the Jordan River. This was a time for this group to reflect on all they had experienced during their wandering years. Would the Israelites still believe in God’s promises when their enemies surrounded them? That was a question Israel as a community would have to reflect on. They had been given the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) and other covenant laws to guide and direct them as they established their identity in God. Moses had been their leader since the Exodus, but now the new generation was taking over. What was the future going to look like?
6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
As we grow in our faith, we will arrive at what I call “landmarks” in our life, where reflection is critical. Those times might be something such as job transitions, marriage, having children, education, and a litany of other events. The crossing of the Jordan was a major life change for the Israelites. It’s important to remember that our pause for reflection might not come at the crossroads of a major life change, it could be that it occurs in the mundane. Whatever the case might be, we should remember to “keep this Book of Law always on your lips” (1:8), we must meditate on the Scriptures day and night in these periods of reflection. Our identity as the people of God will never change, however the seasons we experience as God’s people will often fluctuate. Ultimately it would not be military strategy or power that would be the guiding force behind Israel’s future. It would be their faithful observance to the word of God. The same is true of us today, we will not find our ultimate victory through showcases of our might and authority, but rather through our identity as servants of Christ Jesus. Furthermore, this section (v.6 and v.9) opens and closes with the command, “be strong and courageous”. As we reflect on how we have grown in our walk with God we cannot overlook the repetition of the commandment set forth in verses 6 and 9. We have before us this great promise of our Father in heaven, as he goes before us and remains near us through all seasons of our lives.
Peace to you,
Rev. Taylor Kibler
