Kings In A Cave

"Then the five kings of the Amorites -- the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon, joined forces. They moved up with all their troops . . . The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. None of them will be able to withstand you."

After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua and his army took them by surprise. The Lord threw the enemy into confusion, and defeated them in a great victory . . Now the five kings fled and hid in the cave at Makkedah. When Joshua was told that the five kings had been found hidden in the cave at Makkedah, he said, "Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave and post some men to guard it. But don't stop! Pursue your enemies and don't let them reach their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand"

 . . . So Joshua and the Israelites destroyed the armies of the five kings completely . . . Then Joshua returned to Makkedah and said, "Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings to me." When they had brought the kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders, "Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings" . . . then Joshua proclaimed to the men of Israel, ". . . Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight." Then Joshua killed the kings and hung them on five trees until evening." (Joshua 10: 5-27)

There is so much about this story in the book of Joshua that intrigues me. First, is the amazing turnaround in Joshua's confidence. Just a few chapters before it is God reminding Joshua to be strong and courageous. In fact, God proclaims that truth three times to Joshua in the first chapter alone. Yet, by the time this battle occurs, it is Joshua reminding his leaders and people to be strong and courageous. It is evident that God had greatly deepened Joshua's faith during this time.

A Crisis In Leadership

Have you ever faced an impossible challenge? A challenge that no matter how long you strive to reach a solution, it remains hopeless. A challenge of that magnitude saps all of your strength, slowly draining away your hope and can leave you cowering in fear.

When facing a situation with what appears to be no solutions, I try to remind myself of the story of Joshua. Joshua faced an impossible assignment. Moses, the revered leader of the people of Israel for over forty years was dead. Now, after Moses's death, God appoints Joshua the new leader of Israel. Imagine that, being the person in charge of God's nation on earth! God reassures him with these words, "No one will be able to stand against you as long you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you. Be strong and courageous." (Joshua 1: 5-6)

But Joshua's immediate problem was that he had to convince the people of Israel of his qualifications and status as their new leader. So Joshua started first with the elders and the commanders of Israel, communicating the promises of God and reminding them of their allegiance to Moses and his leadership. He then testified to the faithfulness of God and urged the leaders to communicate that to the people under their command. The people responded well to Joshua's leadership and so together, the nation of Israel marched toward the next test of their faith.

Blessed Are The Poor

In perhaps what is the most famous sermon in history, Jesus Christ delivered his message known as the "Sermon on the Mount". This teaching occurred after Jesus had been baptized by John the Baptist, after his forty days in the wilderness experience, and shortly after he began his public ministry in Galilee. This sermon is the longest continuous discourse of Jesus found in the New Testament and contains some of the most foundational tenants of the Christian faith.

It think it is interesting to compare the accounts of the gospels of Matthew and Luke in regard to this sermon. Scholars have disagreed throughout the years in their explanations for the different perspectives and accounts of these two gospels. However, one of the most common explanations for the different gospel accounts lie in the target audience that both men were addressing with their writings. For example, Luke, as he was writing primarily to non-Jews, used different terminology and emphasized different points than did Matthew who was writing to the Jewish people in his account.

Let's compare the opening paragraphs of this Sermon to gain a better understanding of the differences we just discussed.

A Worthy Investment

Meraki [may-rah-kee] - is a word that the Greeks used to describe what happens when you leave a piece of yourself (your soul, creativity, or love) in your work. When you love doing something with that kind of intensity, whatever it is, you pour all of who you are into it. This can be your passion for Christ, your love for your children, your career, or your love of music or sports. Whatever you pour yourself into, whatever you go to sleep thinking about, whatever drives your deepest ambitions, that is your meraki.

Side bar: I think its interesting that there is no English equivalent to this word in our language. (Though the word reminds me of a Japanese word in the peaceful way it rolls off of the tongue.)

So let's get to it, what would you say are the meraki in your life? And remember, it may not be a thing, it may be a person. So why don't you grab a piece of paper, turn off your phone, (or at least the notifications) and focus your thoughts. Think deeply about what really holds your heart captive. Is it your job, entertainment, pleasure, social media, numbness, friends, enemies, justice, politics, what is coming to the forefront of your mind right now?

If you are still seeking clarity, examine your fiances and your calendar. We always find time (and money with rare exceptions . . . ) for the things we love and value. But I would encourage you to take this experiment one step further; select someone close to you and ask them to describe your passions. This could be anyone, your spouse, child, best friend, co-worker, anyone who has spent quality time with you and knows what you are like when you take off your mask.