Thursday, August 16, 2018

THE WARRIOR

In Joshua 5:13b-15, we read: “A Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, ‘Are You for us or for our adversaries?’ So He said, ‘No, but as  Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, ‘What does my Lord say to His servant?’”

“What would you do if the Commander of the army of the Lord came to you?” Grandfather closed the Book.

“I don’t know. Guess I’d be scared.”

“And rightly so. He carried a sword.”

“I don’t get it. He didn’t say who He was for.”

“Timmy, who did He come to?”

“Joshua.”

“What was His answer?”

“He didn’t answer the question, but told Joshua who He was--the Commander of the army of God.” Timmy tilted his head. “That’s important, isn’t it?” Grandfather smiled.

“He got Joshua’s attention when He came to him. He wanted Joshua to know to whom he belonged. We’ll always have adversaries but the Commander of the Lord’s army, the Lord Jesus, has authority over them.

“So, what was Joshua’s response?”

“He fell down and worshiped.”

“You right, Timmy, but more than that, he made a declaration. He now counted himself as a servant to the Commander. In other words, Your word is my command.”

“Does that happen today?” He stared at the sky. “Does He want me to serve?”

“Indeed He does. He asks us to follow Him.”

“I’ll do it, Grandfather.”

Kingdom Thinking. I thought the world different from Joshua’s time, but is it? Adversaries abound, but our Commander, the Lord Jesus, is in control. He loves me with an everlasting love and promises never to leave nor forsake me. He offers the same to you. Won’t you come?