Today’s Reading: Joshua 23; Joshua 24; Psalm 44; 1 Corinthians 11
Scripture: Joshua 23:1, 8, 11
1 After a long time had passed and the LORD had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them…
8 But you are to hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have until now…
11 So be very careful to love the LORD your God.
Observation: Joshua is ready to die. He is giving the Israelites his farewell and preparing them for what will come with warnings and instructions. The wars are over; the nation is at rest. For now. And Joshua gives them the essence of what will be their sure and ultimate protection. It’s not bigger armies. It’s not better armaments. It is to “hold fast to the Lord” and to “be very careful to love the Lord.” The means of protection from their enemies is love. But not the “warm and fuzzy” kind. No this is the intentional, passionate, purposeful kind. It’s up to them to make their closeness and love for God happen. This goes against what we think about love. We think that love is the product of personalities and chemistry in some unpredictable emotional reaction. But here, love is being commanded of them. They have to “hold fast” and “be very careful to love.” How are they to do that? How am I to do that?
Application: First I need to understand that love is not a chance happening but is a product of exercising the will on the heart. It is a function of decision leading to action which results in emotion. True love is not something you fall into and out of. It is something you work at and hold on to. So I must make a choice by an act of my will that I will stay close to God and I will love Him. I must choose to make Him my Lord and to be His servant. And then I must take action based on that decision. What kind of action? Action consistent with passion. Spending time with the Lord, talking to Him, reading His letters to me, writing back to Him, thinking about Him, singing songs about Him, telling other people about the One I love, staying faithful to Him, etc. It’s just like a good romantic marriage! I have stayed in love with my bride for 32 years because I made a choice, expressed a vow, and continue to take action that is consistent with that choice. Likewise, I made a decision of my will 45 years ago to love and serve Jesus and to receive His salvation and I have stayed true to that by continuing to take action consistent with that decision. But, as in my marriage, I cannot turn on the “cruise control.” No, I have to keep my intention strong. “Hold fast!” “Be careful!” These are warnings and urgings that demand ongoing deliberate attention. If I am to succeed, I have to continue to work for passion and love for my Lord.
Prayer: Lord, I want to keep the flames of love burning. It is easy to let them go out or nearly so. I want to keep my love for You alive and real. I know that if I don’t, my faith can become empty ritual. But I want my faith to be a true reflection of a deep and living love relationship between You and me. I know that You are passionate for me so the only question is whether I reciprocate. Lord, that is my desire. Help me to remember that love is a choice, not an emotion. And help me to take actions that will reflect the choice that I have made in the past and renew now to love You with all my heart and with all my mind and with all my soul and with all my strength.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
1 comment:
It's interesting to me that so many people bail out of their marriages because they don't feel the passion anymore. The truth is, the feelings of passion will come back and grow when the decision to love in spite of all and the actions of love are done no matter what are maintained because of commitment. It's true in marriage and in our relationship with the Lord. By the way, thank you for loving me so very well for 32 years. Because you've been committed through even tough times, I know you on a deeper level and love you much more than when we were first married. Cynthia Stipech
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