Tag: God

Land

Old Testament: Joshua 17 & 18

Poetry: Psalm 51

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 8

            It is obvious from reading the Old Testament and our reading in Joshua today that God talks about land as inheritance. A safe place for his people to dwell on the earth. Interestingly, He isn’t concerned about its financial value or acreage, interest, shiny jewel heirlooms, and all the rest that this world can throw at us as a concept of an inheritance.  In Joshua, after decades of Israelites wandering and fighting, a generation dying, and all the excitement of the years since they left Egypt, we finally see them coming into their land, getting particular boundaries and instructions tribe by tribe. A promise fulfilled. But, wait. . . who had been promised the land? Who is missing in action in these chapters?

            Well, one fellow comes to mind, and that is Abraham! I found myself wondering how many years had even passed since Abraham had been promised an inheritance of land figuring it had been “a while”. Umm…..a little history research clued me into the fact that it had been more than just “a while”. . . it had been more like 700 years!  In Joshua 17-18, Israelites are receiving their inheritance that had been promised 700 years before. As we await Jesus’s return, and our inheritance, it is encouraging to remember. . . God DOES fulfill His promises in His time, in His sovereign design.  

            In the article “The Land Promise to Abraham and His Descendants” written by Anthony Buzzard and used with permission here, I loved to see how the idea of “land” was referenced as part of an entire plot of the Bible. Centuries more have passed since Joshua entered the promised land, and the Israelites certainly did not stay on the straight and narrow or even keep possession of the land, but the promise of land to Abraham was never broken because it was more than an area of particular ravines, slopes, and springs we see in these chapters. I’d recommend the full article found at https://focusonthekingdom.org/land.pdf to anyone and have included a few highlights to reflect on here:

“The entire biblical drama hangs on this remarkable tension: Abraham and his seed have never yet inherited the land/earth. In fact Stephen in the sermon which cost him his life (Acts 7, the longest chapter in that book) explicitly says that Abraham did not inherit as much as a square foot of the promised land! But “God promised it to him and his descendants”

“The fascinating fact is that Abraham has until this day not received a square foot of his inheritance. Acts 7:5 is a marvelous “John 3:16” verse! The point to be gained is that Abraham and all the faithful who are now dead, sleeping the sleep of death (Ps. 13:3), must at the future return of Jesus rise from the sleep of death (1 Cor. 15:23) to receive their promised inheritance.”

“There is coming a brand new world order on earth, to be inaugurated at the return of Jesus, and we are urged by the Gospel, the one Gospel about the Kingdom (Mark 1:14-15), to prepare with all urgency for that coming event.”

And who else will inherit the land God has promised? Thankfully that answer is woven through scripture and can include us. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)

-Jennifer Hall

Questions:

  1. What do you like best about the idea that you can be an heir to the promised land?
  2. What encouragement do you find here in Joshua 17-18 seeing God fulfill promises in His time?
  3. How does the Biblical idea of receiving a perfect promised land after Jesus returns and the dead are resurrected contrast with some common beliefs of what happens after we die?
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Steadfast

Old Testament: Joshua 15 & 16

Poetry: Psalm 51

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 7

In today’s readings, again we find ourselves in Psalm 51, and while I’m not going to write about it all 6 days we will be reading it, based on some commentaries I’ve read, there are definitely those who could!

It’s hard for me to read Psalm 51:10-11 and not find myself humming the chorus you may also know, “Create in me a clean hea-a-art, o-o-o, God, and renew a right spirit within me. . .”  What I thought was interesting though was that reading along in my ESV, the words matched up exactly to the song I knew so I was absolutely stuck with the music running through my head.  The next time I read it I must have used NASB when I stumbled into “renew a steadfast spirit within me” which is when I realized Keith Green apparently didn’t use that version, it added a syllable, and threw me off! Different versions use different words, fine and dandy. But, I realized I just didn’t equate “steadfast” with “right” in my use of the words. It makes sense reading either one in the Psalm, but it led me to do a bit more of a word study I found interesting.

The word “steadfast” (or “right”) in verse 10 is used approximately 217 times in the Bible, but the only place it is translated steadfast is 6 times in the book of Psalms. Other translations of this word throughout scripture include: made ready, established, set, formed, reliable, trustworthy.  This helped me get a better grasp on the desirable type of spirit David was asking God to renew in him.

I also really liked how David wished to use his experiences of sin/guilt/repentance to help others and bring God glory as we see in verses 13-14. I am grateful David’s testimony lasted the centuries, and grateful for the testimonies I have heard in people throughout my life as well. We know as a society even from a more medical/psychological perspective that guilt and shame are two incredibly destructive emotions for mental and physical health for those of any age. Top of the list kind of emotions selected for those struggling with severe depression, suicidal thoughts, and other health problems. When we are stuck in a pattern of guilt and shame or know others stuck in that pattern, we need a sovereign God with a perfect plan of forgiveness and reconciliation to help just like David did. As we experience life including its mistakes and wrongs, like David, we want to share the mercy and hope we have been given with others in our lives.

As Psalm 51 ends, we see reference to Zion and the walls of Jerusalem prospering. It seems historically there have been some varying interpretations from theologians/commentators on these last two verses. Some hold the belief that just these two verses were added later during the time in exile after Jerusalem had been destroyed, and others suggest they were more prophetic words of David. Regardless of who wrote them and when they were written, I like that the Psalm ends with a tie to Jerusalem. A city that will continue to be in our news it seems throughout our lifetimes, and a hope of a New Jerusalem one day where there will not be sin, tears, pain, sorrow.  Until then, may we seek to be restored and upheld like Psalm 51 so beautifully describes.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and renew a right spirit within me.

                Cast me not away from your presence,

and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

                Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and uphold me with a willing spirit.

 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ps 51:10

-Jennifer Hall

Reflection Questions

  1. What can you learn from David’s Psalm 51 about sin, confession and repentance?
  2. What effects have you seen, including in your own life, of guilt and shame?
  3. How has David’s example helped you? How can you be an example to others in the way you respond to sin in your own life?
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Hyssop

Old Testament: Joshua 13 & 14

Poetry: Psalm 51

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 6

Ahh….Psalm 51. There are few Psalms I can remember off hand what they are about. I usually can recall that Psalm 119 is the really long one kinda smack dab in the middle of the Bible that talks about the word of God. Psalm 100 is my Mom’s favorite that she still has memorized and can recite on turbo speed which is an uplifting one full of gratitude. And then there is Psalm 51. It isn’t super long and it isn’t super cheerful, but it is authentic, transparent, and full of repentance. A psalm of confession at a time in David’s life that is so significant even our Bibles tell us what David had just been caught doing before writing this.

I don’t know about you, but I know I wouldn’t particularly want people thousands of years from now reading about my sins or finding prayers I wrote on my darkest days. But, I am so grateful that God allowed that from the man after God’s own heart, a beautiful poet and gifted communicator whose contrite and sincere words are available for us today to encourage, convict, and restore.

 In Psalm 51 verse 7, hyssop caught my eye because right now I have it growing in my yard again, transitioning back to a vibrant green after the long winter of blah. For my purposes today, I like that it is a perennial with pretty foliage and purple flowers that also have some herbal benefits. But, in the Bible it is referenced as a cleansing and purifying plant, one used for cleansing lepers, ceremonial cleansings, and what the Israelites were instructed to use as a paintbrush of sorts for smearing the sacrificed lamb’s blood on the doorposts in Exodus 12.  How beautiful a psalm and image to read on the first day of Passover. How wonderful to know that since David’s time, through his line, we received a Messiah through whom we can be cleansed and made right to God.  It is encouraging to know that God always knew we needed this Messiah, and that Jesus was part of God’s plan from the beginning. The relationship with God we have through Jesus and the hope of the gospel he preached in the coming kingdom, a time of no more mistakes and tears, provides a source of joy today.

                Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

 Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

 Hide your face from my sins,

and blot out all my iniquities

Someone else must think Psalm 51 is a noteworthy one we can relate to because like it or not. . . here we come. . . .6 days in a row!

-Jennifer Hall

Questions:

1. What do you like about Psalms and the books of poetry in scripture?

2. How do you relate to the words in Psalm 51?

3. Consider what you need to ask God to cleanse you of today, and rejoice in the mercy and great compassion David reminds us are abounding in Him when we turn to him in repentance.

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Unleavened

Old Testament: Joshua 11 & 12

Poetry: Psalm 50

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 5

As is frequent with God’s word, we see connections, themes, and promises fulfilled which transcend centuries, and today’s readings are an example of this. From our Old Testament reading of Joshua we see a thorough purging and annihilation of pagan people who were not followers of God in the land God wanted inhabited by his chosen people. Terms like “captured”, “struck every person”, “no survivor”, and “utterly destroyed” used more than once paint a pretty clear picture of what Joshua and the Israelites were busy doing. But, why? That is also repeated throughout, and while it could be summed up as “God said so”, it seems more beautifully stated in Joshua 11:15,

“Just as the Lord had commanded His servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses.” New American Standard Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 2020), Jos 11:15.

Over a thousand years later, our New Testament reading in 1 Corinthians written to the church in Corinth also references instructions on purging out the evil. And just like the pagan people and cultures surrounding and within the promised land in the time of Joshua, Corinth was certainly a place full of evil. A city known for immorality (not immortality as I just accidentally typed!), for all varieties of sexual sins and deviance, statues and idols of lovely false gods like Aphrodite and none other than a thousand prostitutes kept busy at the temple. One could imagine as new converts came out of this culture to Christianity, and for the existing church functioning within that society, there were some things that needed cleaned up. And then there were some things that just straight up needed called out, purged, and done away with. Finding ourselves progressed another couple thousand years from there, I think we can relate.

Tomorrow, the Jewish people and those celebrating Passover will be starting their remembrances and celebrations. I really like that the Jewish holidays have Biblical and spiritual meanings, and Passover is directly mentioned in our New Testament reading today. One instruction the Hebrews were given for the Passover was to remove the yeast/leaven from their homes on the first day. Today, there are all sorts of traditions on how to do this for Passover including varieties of special cutlery and cleaning to remove every speck of potential leaven from  cookware to corners of homes and cabinets. Even the kids are apparently often helpful at finding those hard to reach remnants. As Christians according to 1 Corinthians 5, we know Jesus is our Passover lamb, which brought about a huge culture change, and one I am incredibly thankful for because I absolutely do not want to be doing anything with the blood of lambs or goats! But, while Jesus’s sacrificial life and death is a tremendous gift and blessing that reconciles us with God, scripture also tells us we can’t just be thankful for Jesus and leave whatever filth we have in our lives, homes, and churches.  Leaven is often correlated to sin in scripture, and today’s reading is very clear. Leaven is not good in this case. It will creep into every corner of the loaf. It contaminates. If we tolerate evil, we will contaminate ourselves and the body of Christ if we are a member of it. If we ignore it and don’t even look for the small hidden pieces of leaven in our lives, the leaven is very efficient at growing, attracting bugs, and all the rest.

We are forgiven and cleansed through our Messiah who took the place of the Old Testament sacrifices. We also know we are human beings living in another Corinth, and it is easy to be deceived when society is screaming “that’s not leaven, that’s just fine”.  May we all prayerfully consider the internal, spiritual leaven within ourselves along with any other things we might be cleaning up this spring. While smudges on windows, crumbs under the stove, and dead leaves in landscaping simply do not matter in the big picture, the spiritual stuff is a life and death matter. I love these verses in Psalm 19: 12-14 which talk about intently looking for the hidden pieces of leaven in our hearts.

But who can discern their own errors?

Forgive my hidden faults.

Keep your servant also from willful sins;

may they not rule over me.

Then I will be blameless,

innocent of great transgression.

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,

Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

-Jennifer Hall

Questions:

1. What similarities do you see between the culture in Joshua’s day, the city of Corinth, and today?

2. Have you ever seen someone’s sin in the body of Christ negatively impact others in the church family?

3. What challenges do you and the church face in identifying sin and right/pure actions from a Biblical worldview in today’s society?

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Astronomical Measures

Old Testament: Joshua 9-10

Poetry: Psalm 49

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 4

My inner science nerd was more excited than a kid in a free candy store last week as I donned my (un)fashionable cardboard glasses in preparation for a once-in-a-lifetime event: for the first time in over 200 years, my Midwest residence would be within the path of totality for a total solar eclipse – an alignment promised to not reoccur in this area for three quarters of a century. Seven years ago, we watched a partial eclipse (around 90% totality) from our home, which was very… underwhelming. However, after learning that there is a vast difference between even 99 and 100% totality, I bought into the hype and prepared for amazement. We hosted a watch party on our church property and our friends even flew in from Alaska to experience it with us! The weather was abnormally lovely for April. As the coverage increased, we detected a cool wind breaking through the warm air, and then street lights began to light up. Then, the millisecond that it reached total coverage, a wave of deep twilight blanketed the field and an evening chill washed over us; I could instantly sense the distinct change in my peripheral vision from behind the safety of my glasses. For about 3 minutes, we eschewed our disposable spectacles as we stared into the void of the sun, soaking in the uniqueness of a mid-afternoon that felt like a near-midnight. We were awed by the surreal experience and applauded the workmanship of our Creator! And then, as suddenly as it had been hidden, the sun again commenced its glorious shine, changing the temporary night back into day. 

Our reading in Joshua today tells of another rare astronomical event – “the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day” while Joshua fought the Amorites. There are many theories about what actually went down on the day the sun didn’t, from an annular eclipse (which even secular scientists agree did occur in Canaan around that time) to a variation in rotation speed and everything in between (you can start your rabbit hole dive here), but what is most important is that God did something very miraculous to help Joshua win the battle. God was on Joshua’s side, and he took “astronomical” measures to help Joshua do what God had called him to do. Joshua and his men put forth the effort as wise and persistent soldiers, but they called on God for a miracle to help them win the battle – and He did, in an awesome display of His power. “There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a man. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!” (Joshua 10:14, NIV)

God fought for His people, and God fights for us. God is on our side, and He loves to show up in mighty ways. BUT… God usually expects us to be actively involved as well. Joshua had to go out and fight the battle – many of them, actually – and God showed up, often miraculously. This is a good reminder for our own lives. God has given us gifts and abilities, and He wants us to be engaged and active in this life. (For example, we don’t really have a legitimate reason to complain about not having a job if we’ve never submitted any applications, right?) Sometimes the best and only thing we can do is pray and let God work, but often, we will pray while we fight right there on the battlefield, trusting in God’s supernatural provision. He still performs miracles! 

In whatever battles you will face, remember that God is with you and still works in miraculous ways. Keep your eyes open to see His handwork in your life! 

-Rachel Cain

Reflection: 

– Watch for God moments in your day and thank him for them. It might be something as small as a daffodil field to bring a smile to your face as you drive to work, or as large as seeing God’s might during a solar eclipse. Either way, praise Him in all those moments! 

– How can you depend on God more to fight your battles? How might God be calling you to be more engaged in the battles yourself?

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Underdogs Unite!

Old Testament: Joshua 7-8

Poetry: Psalm 48

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 3 

Kung Fu Panda 

Peter Parker (Spiderman)

Cinderella

Frodo Baggins

Luke Skywalker

King David

Jesus’ disciples

What an eclectic list of characters! Any guess on what they have in common? 

They were all underdogs, devalued by society, and yet through some combination of luck, magic, leadership, divine appointment, and/or wise counsel, they went on to do mighty things. Though some characters in that list are fictional, there are plenty more true accounts in the pages of your Bible and in ancient and recent history of people overcoming opposition and obstacles to become the Greats we know today.  

In I Corinthians 1, we read about how we were nothing special before we were saved by God’s grace and grafted into his family, that He often chooses the “underdogs” to do His work. In chapter 2, Paul reiterates that we need the wisdom and power of the Spirit in order to understand and speak the things of God; Paul clarifies that even he, who we now know as one of the greatest missionaries of all time, “did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God… My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power” (verses 1, 4-5). Now, in the third chapter, while recapitulating to the Corinthians how we are all foolish without God, Paul is addressing quarrels and jealousy among the believers, reminding the Church how important it is to be united. 

I bet that a lot of the same words he wrote to the people back then would also be penned to us today; we humans can still tend to think we’re all that and a bag of potato chips with no need for God, and division still dominates our fleshly nature. As a mom, I’ve broken up more quarrels than I can count; it seems that my kids will find a reason to argue with each other about anything and everything! And as the wife of a pastor, I’ve seen division rear its ugly head in the church too many times. Churches have even split over petty things such as decor. It seems silly that we find trivial things to bicker about when there are bigger issues plaguing the world today such as war, poverty, and human trafficking. 

In this chapter, Paul emphasizes that we are all working together for God, but God is the real Force that makes anything happen. Paul reminds us that we are all on the same team, building on the foundation laid by Jesus Christ. In typical Paul fashion, he keeps us humble by reminding us of our foolishness; in modern-day terms, though we might have thick wallets or a string of letters behind our names indicating our importance in this world, we are all nothing without God. 

I’m always encouraged when I see Christians set aside their differences to work as one unit for a good cause, or when churches with very different doctrines join hands to reach their communities for Christ. We are meant to be one body: the body of Christ. It is crucial that we as believers unite hands and hearts for God’s eternal mission. 

-Rachel Cain

Reflection:

– Consider ways that you can help create unity and decrease division within your own church family. (A good place to start is to not participate in gossip). 

– Are there any local organizations with which your church or your own family could join to show the love of Jesus to your local community? State? The world? 

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Keep Walking

OT – Joshua 5-6

Poetry – Psalm 47

NT – 1 Corinthians 2

Keep walking, but you won’t knock down our wall. 

Keep walking, but she isn’t gonna fall! 

It’s plain to see your brains are very small 

to think walking will be knocking down our wall.

– the Pea soldiers, from Veggie Tales “Josh and the Big Wall”

I’ve never been in the military (even preschool gymnastics was beyond my capabilities, and let’s just say I was usually a last pick in gym class), but even I can imagine that the mighty Israelite soldiers felt mighty silly walking around the city once a day for six days. Just walking behind the ark. And blowing some trumpets. Wow, fierce. I wonder if they wondered what God was thinking? Had they accidentally signed up for the (mostly-silent) marching band instead of the military? But on the seventh day – seven is the biblical number of completion – they marched around the city seven times, and then, a different kind of trumpet blast sounded, and Joshua ordered everyone to shout. And then, the wall collapsed. The mighty, impenetrable wall of the great city of Jericho, along with everything inside (save Rahab and her family), became a pile of rubble. Yet again, the people obeyed what seemed like ridiculous commands for an impossible task, and God worked through it all. I don’t know why God chose to take over Jericho in such a strange way, but I bet part of the reason was to display His awesome power and make sure everyone knew that He was the One True God. 

Psalm 47 even sounds like a song of praise that might have been shared after conquering Jericho: “He subdued the nations under us… He chose our inheritance for us… God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets…”

All of our lives should reflect back to the power of God. In our New Testament reading today, Paul also says, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might rest not on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power” (I Cor 2:4-5) Just like when God made it clear that it was only by His power – not the marches and shouts – that the walls fell down, God likes to use ordinary, untrained people to do His biggest work, so His might is evident through their humility. 


God displays His power by working in big ways through us. He doesn’t NEED us; after all, God created the whole world without any input from mankind! But He wants to use us as part of HisStory, to help tell the world the greater message of His saving power. Will you join in the Greatest Mission of all time? 

-Rachel Cain

Reflection Questions

  1. How will you join in the Greatest Mission of all time?
  2. How/when have you seen God at work doing what seemed impossible in a way that you wouldn’t have expected? Who did He use in the mission?

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Creating Memory-Sparkers

OT: Joshua 4

Poetry: Psalm 46

NT: I Corinthians 1

As a history buff, I love touring historical monuments. Even pre-digital-selfie days, I would try to capture a film-based image of myself at national memorials and important sites to remember the adventure. When we’ve studied certain landmarks and events in our homeschool, I’ve proudly shared my visual memories with my (thoroughly unimpressed) children. I’m hoping they will be more impressed when we take them on a historical tour of the East Coast next month, but I’m already preparing myself to accept their inevitable apathy (while I have enough fun for the whole lot of us!). 

In Joshua chapter 4, we find the throng of Israelites having just completed the journey across the Jordan River (no simple task, especially at flood stage). What do you think was of first priority? Moving on to their destination? Getting a snack? Setting up camp for the night?

No, God had bigger plans – plans that might seem trivial to us, but that were much more important in the eternal perspective. He told Joshua to select twelve men (one from each tribe) to select a large stone from the river and bring it to their campsite for the night. They would then stack the stones near the river to build a monument representing the twelve tribes of Israel. “In the future, your children will ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Then you can tell them, ‘This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground. For the Lord your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea… so that all the nations of the earth might know the power of the LORD and that you might fear the LORD your God forever.’” (Joshua 4:21-24, NLT)

God knew that the Israelites had a tendency to worship other gods and forget His faithfulness. With more challenging battles ahead, God wanted them to have a visual reminder of how He had provided for them in miraculous ways. Not only that, but He wanted the other nations to know the power of God! This monument served as a memory-sparker to help the Israelites pass down the legacy of their God to their children. 

As a parent, I know firsthand how easy it is to get caught up in the day and forget to share about God’s faithfulness. But God, who created children, surely knows that two of the favorite activities of children are 1) playing with rocks and 2) asking a bazillion questions, so a large and unavoidable monument made of rocks was the perfect reminder for parents to share with their children about God’s provision! But God didn’t want them to remember him only when they passed the monument; he wanted his people to remember him all of the time! 

Deuteronomy 6:4-9:  Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

That section of scripture contains the Great Shema, a major tenet of our faith. Don’t overlook the part about remembering God’s faithfulness! We are called to talk about God constantly throughout our day, remembering Him together from the time we get up until we go to bed and all the time in between. This can even be as simple as praying when we hear an ambulance or thanking God for lovely nature. 

We might feel inadequate for such an important task as helping those around us to remember God throughout the day, but remember the words of Paul from our reading in I Corinthians 1:27-29: “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” Even Moses, the man chosen to lead God’s people out of slavery, insisted that he could not do it because of a stutter, among other excuses. (We all like to give excuses, don’t we?) But God used Moses in mighty ways, and He has plans for us too – if we will choose to remember his ways and live for him. 

-Rachel Cain

Reflection:
-What are your excuses for not doing some of the things God has asked you to do? Debunk those excuses and pray to God to soften your heart. 

-How can you help pass along the message of God’s faithfulness? What memory-sparkers would God like to see you create? How can you remember and speak of God and His faithfulness more throughout the day?

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Thankful for Their Legacy

OT: Joshua 3

Poetry: Psalm 45

NT: Romans 16

Last Friday marked one year since my father lost his battle with a terrible neurodegenerative illness. My sisters and I had helplessly watched him decline for over a decade, advocating intensely during that time to help him get the complex care he desperately needed while grieving the slow waning of our once-healthy father. Then, three days after Easter, our dad succumbed to his illness and was finally able to rest from this broken world. 

We sisters all shared a lot of our fond memories of our dad at his memorial service: his love for the color yellow, his affinity for hiking in nature, his proclivity to play practical jokes on unsuspecting coworkers and family members, his devotion to his daughters. As I remembered his life, I also considered what I would want written in my epitaph. What do I want people to say about me at my memorial service? What kind of legacy do I hope to leave? While considering my own funeral might sound a bit morbid, it is important to remember that we are mortal, our actions in this lifetime can have consequences (for the good or the bad), and we need to be focused on our mission for Christ. 

Perhaps, like me, you tend to skip over chapters like Romans 16, in which Paul is just thanking and saying hello to some random people with difficult-to-pronounce names, much like we might skip over the Acknowledgements section of a book. However, I encourage you to read it again, focusing on how all of these people were important to Paul and his work in some way. They all left a legacy, built a foundation for the early church. Paul didn’t complete his great missionary journeys alone; there were countless people supporting him in various ways the whole time. Some of the people were mentioned elsewhere in scripture; some of the others we have never heard of before, but they were all instrumental in the ministry work that Paul was doing, so he wanted to thank them publicly. (This is a good reminder to me that we need each other for help and encouragement, and we should offer gratitude to those people who have made a difference in our lives, especially those who encourage us in the ministry.) This chapter is a testament to the devotion of the early believers who helped spread the message of Jesus so we can all be believers today! And even though these are just names to us now, they were real people doing real work for the Kingdom, and their names are still being read thousands of years later. What a great legacy!

As followers of Jesus, we also have a hope beyond the grave. This life is not all that there is! We have a hope for resurrection and eternal life in the Kingdom with God and Jesus, and we are called to share that hope with others during our lives. Take another peek at the poetry reading for today. The explanation under the heading of Psalm 45 states that it was a wedding song, but many scholars also believe that it actually has some parallels to our Messiah and the hope of the coming Kingdom, the wedding feast of the Lamb (Jesus) with his Bride (the Church). What comparisons do you notice between the poem and the coming Kingdom? 

So, let’s keep living with an eternal perspective, focusing on the work God has called us to do, leaving a legacy for Him by contributing to the work of His Church. 

-Rachel Cain

Reflection questions:

-Who has been an encouragement and support to you as you seek out and pursue the work God has for you? How can you thank them?

-What do you hope is written in your epitaph? (What kind of legacy do you want to leave?)  What can you do this week to further develop or strengthen your legacy?

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Rahab – Used by God

Old Testament: Joshua 2

Poetry: Psalm 44

New Testament: Romans 15

Isn’t it funny how you can read the same passage of scripture numerous times and still find new nuggets within it? I know the story of Rahab quite well, and since I love studying strong women of the Bible, I even read a historical fiction novella about her (“Unashamed” by Francine Rivers, if you’re interested). Still, I discovered a rabbit trail of new insight into Rahab through an oft-overlooked Bible feature: the footnote. 

In the first verse of Joshua 2 (NIV), upon noticing a footnote following the word “prostitute,” I glanced to the bottom of the page to find this clarification: “or possibly, an innkeeper.” Excuse me? “Innkeeper” and “prostitute” are very different occupations! As I dug deeper, I found respectable commentaries arguing on both sides of the fence why one interpretation was definitely more likely than the other, and some even suggested that she operated both an inn and a brothel. In either case, Rahab was a Gentile who, because she met many travelers, was privy to a lot of information about the happenings outside her city walls, including the miraculous power of the God of Israel. When the king’s men came to inquire about the spies, she not only hid them, but committed treason by leading the guards astray to chase after the spies, knowing full well they were hiding on her roof. Rahab risked her life to protect the spies, and the spies honored her request to spare her life (and the lives of her family) when they would later take over Jericho. Not only was her physical life spared, but Rahab married Salmon (who was perhaps one of the spies), became grafted into God’s chosen people, and is mentioned as an ancestor to Jesus. 

Let’s assume that she was a prostitute, as many interpretations of the Bible seem to imply. This woman was super important to the success of God’s people. Though we think she had a dark past, Rahab feared and trusted God perhaps even more than the Israelites did. How cool is it that God used not only a Gentile, but a promiscuous one at that, to help His people gain their Promised Land! It really gives us all hope that God can use us no matter our histories. In Romans 15, Paul reminds his readers that he is preaching not only to his fellow Jews, but also to help the Gentiles know about the saving power of Jesus. Thank God that his grace is for all of us! 

Psalm 44 ties well into this storyline of conquering Jericho, confirming over and over again that it is only by God’s power that people throughout history have conquered their enemies: “They did not conquer the lands with their swords; it was not their own strength that gave them victory. It was by your mighty power that they succeeded… only by your power can we push back our enemies; only in your name can we trample our foes… it is you who gives us victory over our enemies.” (Psalm 44:3,5,7)

I’ll close with this blessing for your day from Romans 15:13 (NIV): “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” 

-Rachel Cain

Reflections: 

– God has a history of using “unworthy” people (like Rahab) for His glory. Reflect on your life, your unworthiness. How has God used your story for His glory? In what ways can you allow Him to do that even more in the coming years? 

– Can you think of anyone in your life whom you would have judged as unworthy, whom God has saved for his glory? Praise God for His faithfulness to all of us! 

– For further reading about Rahab, check out this article: https://tidings.org/articles/her-name-is-rahab/

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