Reading With the People of God #7 CommitmentUzorak

Memorization Challenge:

6 Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. (Joshua 1:6-7 NLT)

Reading Primer:

Psalm 46 - A Mighty Fortress

Martin Luther said this Psalm inspired his hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” which has its first line written on his monument in Wittenburg, Germany. The inspiration comes from the bold confidence that no matter the foe, God is our refuge and strength, “a bulwark never failing.”

From ancient times until the present day, mankind has been plagued with disasters and enemies, but the Psalmist encourages us to find our security in God, our fortress (vv7, 11). We all want that safe place, a place where striving ceases and safety is sure. There is only one place of security that will keep us safe for eternity, and that is in Christ Jesus.

In Luther’s second verse, he identifies the source of his confidence;

“Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right Man on our side,
the Man of God's own choosing.
You ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth His name,
from age to age the same;
and He must win the battle.”

When we are in Him, we can rejoice with the Psalmist when he writes, “So I will not fear...the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

Joshua 6 - Jericho’s Harlot

Joshua fought the battle of Jericho
Jericho, Jericho
Joshua fought the battle of Jericho
And the walls came tumbling down!

If you were fortunate enough to grow up in Sunday School, this will play in your head when you read this chapter. It is a stunning marvel, both from the standpoint of the miracle God did in falling the stronghold of Jericho and the miracle of faith on the part of the entire new nation of Israelites. It is a thrilling chapter.

There is a beautiful story within this story, and it is the story of Rahab, the harlot. Do you know that each time Rahab is mentioned in the Bible, she is called “the harlot?!” Hers is a remarkable story of faith, courage, and hope in a woman disregarded by others, a cast-off of her society.

Rahab aided the Israelite spies when they came to Jericho, and they, in turn, rescued her and her family when they took siege of the city and killed all of the inhabitants. Rahab was taken to live with the Israelites, eventually marrying a Hebrew man.

This tainted woman’s story is remarkable because, because of her great faith, she is one of two women listed in Jesus’ genealogy (Matthew 1:5), the Hall of Faith (Hebrews 11:31), and in James 2:25, her actions are lauded as proof of her faith. Her saving scarlet cord symbolized Rahab’s act of faith, perhaps a picture of her offspring's atoning blood.

But more noteworthy than her high esteem in the Bible is that she is a picture of you and me. She is a type of the church. Long before the church was even imagined by men, God was showing us that He accepted Gentiles. Broken and forsaken people were literally welcomed and included in His family. Rahab was the great-great-grandmother of King David, from whom the King of Kings would come.

II Timothy 1 - The Gift of a Christian Family

This is thought to be Paul's last letter. We often think of last letters and last words as being especially meaningful and cherished. Reading this first chapter, you feel the fatherly love that Paul has for the young pastor he mentored and advised into his first pastorate.

I was especially drawn to verse five, where Paul mentions Timothy’s grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice. He mentions their genuine and strong faith, connecting it to Timothy’s own exemplary faith. We sing of the faith of our fathers, but what an impact the faith of our mothers has made in the church.

Behind the scenes, women are the unsung heroes of the Christian faith. By word and deed, they build Christ's life into their children. Those who were raised in Christian homes often take Christian parents for granted, but have you ever wondered how far back that scarlet thread of Christ goes in your ancestry? Have you ever thanked the Lord for those ancestors who first believed and passed their love for the Lord on to their families?

My sister loves to knit and crochet. Watching her knit, I can see that each stitch depends on the one that came before, linked together to create a whole, strong, and useful product. It’s a picture of the church: many stitches, all dependent on the other, one garment.

If you are a first-generation Christian, what an opportunity you have to begin the stitches in your family. Generations from now, there may not be any memory of the first stitch, but the creation of a Christ-loving family will be your legacy.

- Jinet Troost, Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It!