Scripture Focus: Joshua 8.1, 33-34
1 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land.

33 All the Israelites, with their elders, officials and judges, were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the Lord, facing the Levitical priests who carried it. Both the foreigners living among them and the native-born were there. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had formerly commanded when he gave instructions to bless the people of Israel.

34 Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them.

Student Writers Month:
This month, The Park Forum welcomes college and seminary student writers pursuing ministry careers. For more info about our yearly Student Writer program, see our website.

Reflection: God’s Presence After Failure
By Jolene Davidson Crouch

“Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” initially seems an odd way for God to start instruction but, after Joshua 7, this statement is assurance that His presence is still with Israel. In Joshua 7 we read of Achan’s sin and the consequence the Israelites faced because of it. They fail in battle and God tells Joshua He will not be with them anymore until the people consecrate themselves. Atonement was made, God “turned from his fierce anger” (v. 8) and this is where chapter 8 begins. How often have I messed up, repented, and needed to know God’s presence was still with me?  

It’s difficult for me to do something after I’ve failed. Anxiety creeps in with “What if I fail again?” “What if I didn’t hear God correctly?” Reading Joshua 8 I am jealous God gave the Israelites detailed instructions and let them know they would succeed! Yet he provides me with instructions in his word. I am instructed to act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). I am instructed “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 6:18). I am instructed “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you” (Matthew 6:33). I find myself jealous when God lays out an obvious path for others, but I don’t always follow the path God put in front of me.

The beauty of Joshua 8 is found in God’s provision for his people. The final verse of Chapter 8 shows Joshua reading the law, the blessings and the curses to the entire assembly of Israel.  Men, women, children, native born Israelites, and the foreigners living with them were all invited to share in God’s Covenant. When we think of the Nation of Israel, we tend to forget those who were grafted in as they came through Canaan. Israel’s faith was opened to converts, such as Rahab, and outsiders who desired to know God. God’s love is not for one group. God’s love has always included any individual who wants to enter a relationship with Him.

We can trust that God forgives those who repent. His presence never leaves us. Second, we can continue inviting others to be a part of our community, encouraging them to graft into the True Vine by experiencing salvation in Jesus Christ.  

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
I put my trust in your mercy; my heart is joyful because of your saving help. — Psalm 13.5

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle

Today’s Readings
Joshua 8 (Listen – 5:55)
Psalm 139 (Listen – 2:26)

Read More about Readers’ Choice 2021
It is time to hear from you about the posts from the past eleven months (September 2020 – July 2021) that have challenged, comforted, and helped you find new meaning in the scriptures.

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Read more about Between Gerizim and Ebal
God does not abandon us to the curses we choose. Jesus took the curses of Ebal and he brings to us the blessings of Gerizim.

Student Writers Month: Joshua 7:1
1 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel.

Student Writers Month:
This month, The Park Forum welcomes college and seminary student writers pursuing ministry careers. For more info about our yearly Student Writer program, see our website.

Reflection: Abundance from Obedience
By Jilian Brown

Collective consequences for the action of one individual is not a popular idea in a time heavily focused on individual rights and justice. Though we may dislike this notion, the reality of it is evidenced all around us. When an athlete incurs a penalty, the team suffers. When a leader acts unethically, the organization suffers. When a spouse strays, the family suffers. In the case of the Israelites and Achan, the disobedience of one man cost the nation a battle and thirty-six lives in the process. 

Because collective consequences are a reality, our focus should be on collective obedience. Following God is a group effort. We are in a covenant with God as a people, not just individuals. It is the responsibility of the body of Christ to look out for one another. Even when the ways of the Lord seem clear to us, we must continue to speak them to those around us. Anyone can quickly slip from the truth of God’s ways without a regular reminder of them.

Obedience is also not a popular topic in our age of individualism. The root of disobedience is a scarcity mentality about God. Achan did not trust God for provision, but rather chose the immediate security in front of his eyes. In doing so, he and his family became like the people of the land. Rahab, by contrast, trusted God as a foreigner and her entire family became part of the Israelite community by way of her faith (Joshua 6.25). The important concept to reiterate to ourselves and others is that obedience brings about an abundant life, not a mediocre one. Obedience may feel restrictive in the moment, but ultimately brings about freedom and joy.How do we consistently trust and obey? David asked God to regularly scan his thoughts to keep him holy (Psalm 139.23-24). Like a daily CT scan of our souls, we must allow the Spirit’s search to take place and encourage others to do the same. When misplaced trust is revealed, immediate confession and repentance roots out the possibility of further sin and consequences for us and others. Achan’s individual lack of trust in God led to actions which held consequences for the whole community. In a glorious inverse, Jesus the individual took the consequences for all of our sin on the cross and that is worthy of our collective daily trust and obedience (Romans 5.12-17). 

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
“Because the needy are oppressed, and the poor cry out in misery, I will rise up,” says the Lord, “And give them the help they long for.” — Psalm 12.5

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle

Today’s Readings
Joshua 7 (Listen – 4:58)
Psalm 137-138 (Listen – 2:13)

Read More about Readers’ Choice 2021
It is time to hear from you about the posts from the past eleven months (September 2020 – July 2021) that have challenged, comforted, and helped you find new meaning in the scriptures.

https://forms.gle/ozM13qvW9ouSWhJS7

Read more about Separateness Not Superiority
Obeying the command to “be holy” is what makes us able to be a light to the world. No holiness, no light.

Scripture Focus: Joshua 4.1-9
1 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, 2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, 3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.” 
4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, 5 and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, 6 to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” 
8 So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. 9 Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.

Student Writers Month:
This month, The Park Forum welcomes college and seminary student writers pursuing ministry careers. For more info about our yearly Student Writer program, see our website.

Reflection: Rocks of Remembrance
By Carolyn M. Soto Jackson

Lake McDonald, in the heart of Montana, is known for its remarkably clear water and for the striking multi-colored rocks below its surface. However, when they are removed from the water, these vibrant rocks are no longer as red, green, or blue as they once seemed. 

This reminds us of the importance of being submerged in the living water of God’s presence and of how God kept His promise to the children of Israel. You may be thinking, how? 

These aged rocks formed from clay under extreme heat and pressure caused by the weight of glaciers. The vivid colors come from their iron content and the presence or absence of water. Red rocks indicate oxidation from the air after they formed. Green rocks indicate they were formed in deep water, an environment preventing oxidation. Pressure and heat over numerous years resulted in beauty decades later. If God does this for rocks (Matthew 6.28-30), can you imagine what He does for his children? 

Just as God brought them through the Red Sea, He also guided His children as they crossed the Jordan river. God gave Joshua instructions for twelve men to pick up twelve stones, while crossing. These twelve stones were used to construct a memorial as a sign of God’s fulfilled promise.  

Like Aaron’s breastplate (Exodus 28.15-21), these twelve stones were a constant reminder of perseverance, deliverance, and redemption. These stones from the river allowed God’s glory to shine, not only below water, but above. 

We know obeying God’s commands enhances his kingdom. When we obey, miracles happen, waters part, and walls come crumbling down. But it takes our steadfast love, obedience and faithfulness while we are in the waiting, especially under the pressure and heat of the world. We can be confident in this, if we are firm in the waiting, God will create beauty not only in heaven but here on earth.

Photo Credit: Today’s photo was also taken by Carolyn on a recent trip to Lake McDonald. Melissa and I have traveled there (Glacier National Park) as well and highly recommend making a trip.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Morning Psalm
I waited patiently upon the Lord; he stooped to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and the clay; he set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many shall see, and stand in awe.
And put their trust in the Lord. — Psalm 40.1-3

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle

Today’s Readings
Joshua 4 (Listen – 3:31)
Psalm 129-131 (Listen – 2:02)

This Weekend’s Readings
Joshua 5-6:5 (Listen – 7:25), Psalm 132-234 (Listen – 2:42)
Joshua 6:6-27 (Listen – 4:47), Psalm 135-136 (Listen – 4:23)

Read more about Readers’ Choice 2021
Tell us about posts from the past eleven months (September 2020 through July 2021) that challenged you, comforted you, or helped you find new meaning in the scriptures.

https://forms.gle/ozM13qvW9ouSWhJS7

Read more about Jericho’s Wall :: Readers’ Choice
We don’t deserve what God has given us…if we are unfaithful, we too will face God’s wrath and no wall will stand in its way.

Scripture Focus: Joshua 3:3-4, 7, 9-13
“When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.”

And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. 

Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”

Student Writers Month:
This month, The Park Forum welcomes college and seminary student writers pursuing ministry careers. For more info about our yearly Student Writer program, see our website.

Reflection: That You May Know
By Karen Chen Kallberg

My children were once afraid of our bathroom. Even though we live in a small bungalow and assure them that the bathroom is perfectly safe, the only reassurance they want is for a parent to go with them. 

In Joshua 3, we encounter a fledgling nation also in need of reassurance. This was the generation that grew up on manna and followed a pillar of cloud through the wilderness. Everything, however, had changed. Moses had died. The pillar was gone. The manna was also about to stop. Which way should they go? Was Joshua ready to lead? How should they launch this military campaign? 

The Lord anticipated their questions with reassurances of His own.

First, in lieu of the pillar, he sent the ark of the covenant to lead the way. The ark represented God’s presence. It had always traveled in the center of his people. Now, however, he sent the ark to the front to provide direction for his people. “Then you will know which way to go…” (Joshua 3:4)

Second, how could anyone replace Moses? Joshua saw what God did through Moses in Egypt and the wilderness. Would God work through him in the same way? The Lord gave his new leader this reassurance: “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so that they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.” (Joshua 3:7)

Third, the Israelites were nomads, not seasoned warriors. It seemed that they needed better weapons, training, and strategies. God said all they needed was him. He would defeat their enemies. “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites…” (Joshua 3:9)

In every dilemma, we want reassurance of success. God’s reassurances, however, are actually revelations. Don’t know where to go? He will show you. Don’t know what to do? He will help you. Don’t know how to do it? He will do it for you. God is the answer to all our questions. He reveals himself to us in our dilemmas, because he wants us to know him. That is why, in answer to the dilemma of sin and death, the Creator and Sustainer of life wrapped himself in human flesh and became an infant…so that we might know him and find life.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Greeting
Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy Name and glory in your praise. — Psalm 106.47

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Springtime by Phyllis Tickle

Today’s Readings
Joshua 3 (Listen – 2:45)
Psalm 126-128 (Listen – 1:58)

Read more about Readers’ Choice 2021
It is time for us to hear from you about the posts from the past eleven months (September 2020 through July 2021) that have challenged and comforted you and helped you find new meaning in the scriptures.

https://forms.gle/ozM13qvW9ouSWhJS7

Read more about Presence is Precious
Practicing the presence of God means living as a tabernacle of the Holy Spirit, making everywhere you set your feet holy ground.