Joshua: Godly Poise in Action

“Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, ‘Are you for us or for our enemies?’ ‘Neither,’ he replied, but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’ Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence and asked him, ‘What message does my Lord have for his servant?’” (Joshua 5:13-14)

Perhaps it’s just me, but I find the mental image this account produces to be awe-inspiring. To me, Joshua is the image of a complete and capable man of faith—a truly humbling figure, especially by today’s standards.

"I am struck first by his readiness to boldly confront the man standing in his way—as the capable warrior he was—and then by his immediate pivot to total surrender, falling facedown in reverence the moment he realized he was in the presence of the Commander of the army of the Lord. Beyond his bravery, I am equally humbled by his eagerness to take orders." Joshua’s example reveals a man who lived from revelation to revelation. He navigated seasons of divine silence, looking forward with both anxiety and excitement to each new message from the Lord. He longed for the Promised Land and, perhaps, even caught glimpses of the future Redeemer.

In sharp contrast, one could drive down almost any street today and be confident that nearly every home contains at least one copy of the Scriptures. Yet, while the full message Joshua so desperately longed for is now available to us in its totality, it often sits unread. I suspect that Joshua, from his place in the "cloud of witnesses," might marvel at the richness of the blessings we possess through the risen Son of God and the completed Scriptures, and grieve our lack of interest.

It reminds me of my time living in the mountains. I eventually became so accustomed to the spectacular views that they no longer inspired me as they once had. It was only after moving to flat ground that I suddenly realized the magnitude of what I had lost.

I could write an endless river of thoughts on how Joshua—operating with only a fraction of the information we have—puts us to shame. He would have cherished the opportunity to hold the full revelation of truth that we possess today. Such thoughts lead me to a haunting conclusion for every committed believer: Should we not rise each day, open the Scriptures, and earnestly pray, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

Father, Thank You for the completed gift of Your Word and the victory of Your Son. Forgive us for the times we have allowed the "spectacular views" of Your grace to become common in our eyes. Grant us the heart of Joshua—a heart that is bold in the world but bowed low in Your presence. Let us wake each morning with a holy hunger, asking what message You have for us, and grant us the courage to obey whatever You command. Amen.

mgb