Joshua 18:1-19:48 Unless you are a geography buff, you may find today's reading a tad tedious. The seven tribes who had not yet received their territories finally have their homes. What is interesting is they had to be commanded to go take their land! It seems that though Manassah, Reuben, Gad, Judah and Ephraim had already received their land, the remaining seven tribes were just sitting around, ...  Read More

Joshua 15:20-17:18 A quick read through Joshua 15-17 might lead us to believe that the Israelites have taken the whole of the Promised Land and are living in a type of paradise. Yet a few verses stick out and show us that things are not as they initially appear. Joshua 15:63 tells us that, "Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites." Joshua 16:10 says, "They did not dislodge the Canaanites...to this ...  Read More

Joshua 12:7-15:19 One universal human longing is the desire for home—a place to rest, to feel loved, and be known. The Israelites had spent 400 years in Egypt, then 40 years of wandering, and only now are beginning to find their home. They have made it into the Promised Land and tribe by tribe are allotted their residences. The cities and areas mentioned may seem unfamiliar to us, but they represe...  Read More

Joshua 10:1-12:6 The Southern kings felt that Joshua was becoming too powerful, so they went to war against the Israelites. During the battle, Joshua pleaded for God to make the sun stand still in the sky, and God did just that, creating a supernatural, never-before-seen event. He then defeated the southern and northern kings and their cities. God was faithful and provided for the Israelites when ...  Read More

Joshua 7:1; 1 Chronicles 2:7; Joshua 7:2-9:27 The Israelites’ first battle with Ai was met with a surprising defeat. The Lord told them all the land was theirs for the taking, but their 3,000 men were soundly beaten. After being defeated, they seek the Lord earnestly. What has gone wrong? God seemingly replies with the same lack of pity I feel when my kids are whiny or dramatic—“Stand up! What are...  Read More

Joshua 3:1-6:27 God often calls his people to do strange things. Joshua is told to send the Ark of the Covenant and the priests to the edge of the Jordan River and it will part. What a strange request! Then they are told to stop and circumcise all the men who are yet uncircumcised, making themselves a target for attack. What a strange request!! Then they are commanded to march around a walled city...  Read More

Deuteronomy 33:1-34:12; Joshua 1:1-2:24 There are so many changes that happen throughout our lives. We move from dependent kids, to potentially relied upon parents, to once again needing the assistance of others as we age. There is very little that is stable in life except for the presence and character of God. In our reading today, there is a massive change in the leadership of Israel. They are g...  Read More

Deuteronomy 31:30-32:52; Psalm 90 How often do you stop and remember God's greatness? If you do not, you may find yourself inflating your own greatness. Pride can easily make us feel like we are gods and feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders. Moses' song provides a healthy reminder of God's character and our tendency to pride. God is described as our rock. The foundation upon which...  Read More

Deuteronomy 29:2-31:29 The Israelites walked in a fog for 40 years. They did not realize their clothes did not have holes or frayed edges, their sandals did not deteriorate with use. As nomads they could not pick grapes and make wine, but God gave them water. They did not have to plant crops, but manna appeared every morning. These things happened so that they “might know the Lord (their) God,” (D...  Read More

Deuteronomy 26:1-29:1 God lays out two paths for people—the path of life or death, wisdom or foolishness, blessings or curses. Some people take these promises to Israel and attempt to apply them directly to themselves. They think if we obey God we will have an abundance of wealth and health. The problem is we cannot claim a promise that God did not give to us (we are not Israel), while also minimi...  Read More

Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19 I continually teach my kids to treat others how they want to be treated. My children, like all of us, are prone to treat others how they are treated rather than treating others with love, kindness, and grace, regardless of their actions. Since we all have been hurt by others, it is easy to multiply this pain rather than be beacons of light and love. Deuteronomy 21-25 challe...  Read More

Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9 The Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible) has justice as a key theme. Not only as we look at the Bible, but also as we look at our country, we see the pervasive cry for justice. Yet so often I do not think we fully understand what justice is or for what we are asking. In our reading today, the concerns for justice cover issues like false witnesses, idolatry, selfish kin...  Read More