Day 3: Whose Side?
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful (Colossians 3:15).
The army of Israel was just beginning a hard conflict under an untried leader. Behind them the Jordan barred their retreat, in front of them Jericho forbade their advance. Most of them had never seen a fortified city, and had no experience nor engines for a siege.
So we may well suppose that many doubts and fears shook the courage of the host, as it drew around the doomed city. Their chief had his own heavy burden. He seems to have gone apart to meditate on what his next step was to be.
Absorbed in thought, he lifts up his eyes mechanically, as brooding men will, not expecting to see anything, and is startled by the silent figure of ‘a Man with a sword drawn’ in His hand, close beside him. There is nothing supernatural in His appearance; and the immediate thought of the leader is, ‘Is this one of the enemy that has stolen upon my solitude?’
So, promptly and boldly, he strides up to him with the quick challenge: ‘Whose side are you on? Are you one of us, or from the enemy’s camp?’ And then the silent lips open. ‘Upon neither the one nor the other. I am not on your side, you are on Mine, for as Captain of the Lord’s host, am I come up.’
And then Joshua falls on his face, recognises his Commander-in-Chief, owns himself a subordinate, and asks for orders. ‘What saith my Lord unto His servant?’
~ Alexander MacLaren Expositions Of Holy Scripture—Joshua 5:13-15
Sovereign God, Lord of hosts, You said, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). And from that perspective we are called to live: Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear (1 Peter 1:17).
You alone are God. You do not serve us, but we You. May we bow to You, allowing the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, guiding our actions— stirring gratitude and a thankful spirit.
Even as we pray for wisdom to carry out our obligations in this world, may we not dare presume to claim You for "our side." May we instead fall on our faces before You and ask, "What saith my Lord unto His servant?"
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