DAY 85

SERVING GOD ALONG THE JOURNEY

Joshua 22, 23 & 24 and Luke 3

This is rather a late night post, just getting it in the queue before midnight. It is Holy Week. We just had our Chrism Service where the Bishop blesses the holy oils, and then Priests & Deacons renew their ordination vows. After the service we have a meal together – it was held at the Cathedral and so I was the host. So things are not fully “jelling” in my mind, but at the same time when you see over 65 clergy vested and processing in a Cathedral, it gets your mind to thinking about serving all the time trying to walk your own journey.

In the Old Testament we read of the people who possessed the land on the “east side” of the Jordan returning to their land – with Joshua’s blessing. They had done their job. They had “fought the good fight”, they had "served" as it were.

As they journey back to their land they build a large altar. News of this new altar spread like wild fire and caused great alarm with the people who remained in the main part of the Promised Land. They were concerned that the people of Rueben, Gad and the ½ tribe of Manasseh had turned away from God. They were ready to go to war with them, their own people!

A delegation is sent to find out exactly what is going on. The answer is very telling about human nature. The people of Rueben, Gad and the ½ tribe of Manasseh make clear they had no plans to offer sacrifices appointed for the Tent of Meeting on this altar – they were not intending to use this huge altar in that manner. They had constructed it as a memorial to tell the succeeding generations that they were indeed part of the nation. It says they actually feared that later generations would forget and consider them enemies.

We then read of Joshua’s closing days; another servant. He points out the work is not yet finished. Some of the tribes have their land, but not all (vv. 23:4-8). He reminds them again not to mix with foreign peoples and foreign gods – a warning we have heard over and over again. Then there is the famous moment where Joshua says, “As for me and my house, we will serve Lord”. Another big chapter in the history of Israel is coming to a close.

The New Testament, Luke 3, is the opening of new chapter in Israel’s (and the world’s) history – Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, the Savior of the World is beginning his very public journey; is beginning to serve.

Three points strike me. We know the actual date, this idea of mountains and valleys being leveled, and the dynamics at Jesus’ baptism.

To the first point, if you examine what the actual year (by our way of marking time) is that Jesus started his ministry, it would appear to be between 26-29 AD. I just think it is cool that we can actually know that. It reinforces the fact that Jesus is a real person and walked this real terra-firma.

The second point has to do with the terra-firma. John the Baptist quotes Isaiah that “every valley shall be exalted and every mountain laid low”. I know that this is figurative, but think about the process of doing so – the process of moving earth around is one that uses a great deal of energy, and one that while when it is done can look nice, the process to get it there is messy.

The third point that catches my eye is the presence of the Trinity at Jesus’ baptism. I know that is probably a tired old sermon point, but it is just amazing.

I don’t know that I have any grand unifying point to the blog today. Each of the little items I have observed: the fear of the “eastern tribes”, the fact that Joshua spent a large portion of his life to subdue the land, and yet there is still work for the Lord to be done, the beautiful quote at the end of his life…to John the Baptist and the reality of Jesus linked with the super-natural nature of Jesus – it all seems to be there – the journey of life, all with the possibility of Christ being present…who will you serve this day?