Today's Scripture
“And there arose another generation who did not know the Lord” Judges 2:8, 10-12
Today’s Reading Schedule: joshua22-24- Click to read
8 Then Joshua son of Nun, the servant of God, died. He was 110 years old… 10 Eventually that entire generation died and was buried. Then another generation grew up that didn’t know anything of God or the work he had done for Israel. 11-12a The People of Israel did evil in God’s sight: they served Baal-gods; they deserted God, the God of their parents who had led them out of Egypt; (The Message)
Devotion
What Does the passage Mean to Me/US?
The beginning of the book of Joshua begins with God’s encouragement to Joshua the newly anointed leader, “Be Bold and Courageous!” Reading through the book of Joshua, we see that he takes up that call and leads the people to inhabit all the land and drive out the inhabitants. The book of Judges begins the same way as the tribe of Judah answers the call to continue the conquest of the land by capturing Jerusalem. Caleb (who was a contemporary of Joshua) and his younger brother Othniel are mentioned as leaders.
But then, in Chapter 2 of Judges, Joshua the leader dies and “another generation grew up that didn’t know anything of God”. How could this happen? How could they not know about and worship the God who led and guarded them with signs and wonders in their journey from slavery in Egypt to their own country in the Promised Land?
I remember growing up at Raleigh Court during the 1950’s-1970’s. It was a large vibrant congregation. As just one example, our Youth Choir sang at the 8:30 worship every week, with 20-30 choir members in attendance! Attendance of 500+ on Easter was customary.
But by the 1980’s, much had changed. Worship attendance declined. Sunday School attendance declined. Missions and outreach declined. Tithes and offerings declined. How could this happen? Did they know the God who had blessed our community with freedom and prosperity beyond belief, and Jesus Christ the author
of grace, who reconciled us and the whole world to God by His sacrifice of blood?
Then I go back and read the words of Judges again the reasons seem clearer:
- Unlike Moses, Joshua did not spend 40 years mentoring a new leader,
- Parents and grandparents did not insure their children deeply learned their faith history and how they lived it each day,
- Children did not diligently inquire how their people came to such a favored status,
- The religious leaders, the Levites, did not insist on carefully following God’s commandments and priorities,
- The whole society failed to live out their call to be “a light to the nations”.
Separated by 3000 years, maybe the answers are the same. Maybe if we dare to be willing to live out our call to be Easter people 365 days a year, we can yet transform our community and our world!
Prayer
Lord Jesus,
I read of the people of Israel entering the Promised Land and abandoning You so soon and am amazed at their lack of gratefulness and thanksgiving for Your rich blessings. And then I realize how much I am like them. Have mercy on me. Break through the fog that too often surrounds me and help me see Jesus on the cross today clearly, suffering unspeakable pain to pay the price for my sins that I could never pay on my own.
In the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Contributed by Larry Dickenson
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