Joshua 7: 10

“The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Stand up! What are you doing down on your face?’”

I love this scene. Joshua, like me and a whole lot of other people, immediately assumed he had screwed up big time, since Israel got “routed” out of Ai. I wanted to hear Joshua say, “What the h-e-double-hockey-stick do You think I’m doing down here?! You're the one who told us to do this when we've sinned, for crying out loud. Now You ask me what I'm doing? I don't think so! I don't think so...”

But along comes God and says, “What the hey? I’m not mad at you. Why ever would I be mad at you?? Get out of your self-centered depression and self-doubt and self-deprecation, and get out there and show them who’s boss, for My sake already!”

I love it. God is so funny sometimes!

Do you ever feel like that sometimes? I mean, we all make mistakes, and sometimes we can get downright depressed about it. Sometimes we can feel like there's absolutely no way we can get out of this hole we're in, and it's all our own dumb fault. All we can even think of doing is simply lying down flat on our faces and waiting till something good happens again. Cuz there's no way on earth we're gonna put ourselves out there again until we know for certain exactly how to do what it is we're trying to do, if we're supposed to be doing it in the first place! Do you ever feel like that? Boy, I sure do!

But along comes God - surprise! Yes, there still is a God, even though evidence of Him is mighty lacking right now, it may seem. Just like in Joshua's case, we did what was right, we followed the rules, we lead the people in the right direction, we were carrying out our destiny. What went wrong? So horribly, terribly wrong? We get down on our knees, even on our faces sometimes, and pray and search our hearts and wait. And wait. And wait. On our faces. For a long time.

Then along comes God. "Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? I never told you to get down on your face, did I? I told you to go out and get the enemy! So get out there! But first make sure you have all the right people with you, and they follow my rules to a T."

"Ok... So You don't want me on my face?" says Joshua, or me, or you. "That's right," says God. "I want you up on your feet! Working for Me!"

"Wow," I say. That is truly awesome. I messed up in some way, I know I did, but He doesn't want me grovelling, bowing, scraping, genuflecting, etc. He wants our hearts humble, yes. But in our humility He wants us active! Alive! Standing straight and tall in the work He gives us to do. And He does give us work.

To Joshua He gave the job of clearing out the false gods from among the people of Israel, so they would again be brave in their trust in their One True God.

To us He gives the job of clearing out other false gods, so we can be brave and stand tall in His calling. Right now He is calling Lake Grove Presbyterian Church to cast off other time consumers and steep ourselves in the knowledge of His Word. For some of us this has meant a clearing of focus, simplifying our days. For others it means adding one thing more, but this one thing so profoundly trumps the others we wonder why we haven't done it before. Still others find ourselves in a race to get our reading done, yet oddly intrigued by the archaic stories of God's revelation to His people of who He really is.

As God calls us to get up off our faces and do His work of learning about Him, we prepare for the first step of taking this knowledge out to the parts of the world He sends us into. May we remember those messages He wants us to remember from His Word, precisely, and may we keep false gods away so we may be brave to do the work He gives us to do.

So remember, next time you find yourself wondering what went wrong, don't simply fall on your face and wait for the answer. Keep working. Keep praying, but keep working at His work, whatever it is for you.

And I'll be working right beside you.

We are one in the Spirit,

We are one in the Lord.

We are one in the Spirit,

We are one in the Lord.

And we pray that all unity may one day be restored

And they'll know we are Christians by our love,

By our love,

Yes they'll know we are Christians by our love.

We will walk with each other,

We will walk hand in hand.

We will walk with each other,

We will walk hand in hand.

And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land,

And they'll know we are Christians by our love,

By our love,

Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

We will work with each other,

We will work, side by side,

We will work with each other,

We will work, side by side,

And we'll guard each one's dignity, and save each one's pride,

And they'll know we are Christians by our love,

By our love,

Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

I hope this little blog has encouraged you a little for Today.

Simply yours,

Patty