Short devotion: Egyptian Massacre - Joshua 8:18

Joshua 8:18    Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand, for into your hand I will deliver the city."

I’ve a shocking confession to make: I don’t like the Book of Joshua at all. As a kid, I used to love singing the old spiritual “Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho,” but as an adult, I've grown to detest the whole book because it glorifies violence and genocide. I understand the history of it all – it was a time of kill or be killed in order to survive; I just don’t embrace the violent massacre of ancient towns on moral or theological grounds.

In the 21^st century, we should have progressed to a point where violent massacres do not occur. Sadly, these inhuman events still take place. In fact yesterday in Egypt over 500 protesters were killed by the military regime and more than 2000 people were wounded. Even sadder is the fact that religious fanaticism, as well as a complete disregard for human life, was behind it.

When I reluctantly read about the battles that Joshua led and fought in the Bible, I wonder what Jesus really thinks about them. He radically taught that we should love our enemies and do whatever we can to maintain peace by helping the oppressed. I wonder if He was appalled at the thousands of people – men, women, and children – that Joshua slew. I wonder if Jesus was also deeply horrified and saddened by yesterday’s massacre in Egypt. If so, then what should we as Christians be doing to resolve it?

Questions for personal reflection

What do you think about the massacres in the Bible, as well as the one that took place in Egypt yesterday? What should Christ’s Church be doing?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we pray for the Egyptian people who are suffering today. We pray for those families of the massacre victims who will be distraught and wounded by their losses. Let Your Spirit of Peace come down and spread all over Egypt. Let the unrest and violence cease; let common sense and love prevail. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message or ask a question, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is John’s latest Fall colors drawing. It’s called “Fall Cabin.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2883/9507907595_e15794247c_b.jpg

Offering Gifts

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Matthew 5:23, 24 "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. (NIV)

Years ago, our church put on a production of the musical “Godspell.” It’s an exciting Broadway show and it tells the story of Jesus through some wonderful songs and very clever skits. It’s largely based upon passages from the Gospel of Matthew and to this day, when I read some of Matthew’s verses, it takes me back to that production.

In my mind’s eye, I can see how we performed today’s verses in the show. We used comical gestures and facial expressions to convey our disapproval of the actor who was trying to present an altar gift, after having an altercation with one of the cast members. It was choreographed and the timing had to be exact in order to get the message across. It worked perfectly each night and we all enjoyed the funny side of the story.

But the real Gospel message isn’t funny. Jesus is being serious here. He wants people to understand that God cares for everyone and that when we have a conflict, disagreement or dispute with family, friends, or other church members, He wants us to sort those things out before we come to church with our gifts, our prayers, and our praises.

It’s a hard thing to do and something that we often set aside. When we go to church, we want God to be on our side, instead of us being on His side. We want Him to address our complaints, instead of having God question our motives. In other words, we don’t want to believe that God won’t accept prayers that are tainted with bitterness or praises that are insincere. However, if we say that we accept the Gospel of Jesus, then we have to live according to His standards and not our own.

So, I guess the challenge for myself and for all of us who are reading or hearing this devotional is this: is there a conflict going on in my life that I need to resolve? Is there something happening now that is causing a division in my home, my heart, my work, my school, or my church that needs to be healed? If there is, then I need to sort it before I come to God.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, following You is never easy and accepting Your Gospel is always going to interfere with our lives. You challenge us to reconsider our ways and to review our deeds. You call upon us to heal our divisions and to restore our broken relationships. Grant us the courage to do something about this today. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.