From Slavery to Seniority

By Brenda Black


When Moses lifted his staff to split the Red Sea, a middle aged slave named Joshua would be among the masses that marched across on dry land. He witnessed the Egyptians swallowed alive by recoiling waves and rushing tides. He captained an army under Moses' command and routed the Amalekites with the help of the Almighty. Joshua ventured up the slopes of Mount Sinai and saw God's presence envelope the peak. All the while, the slave set free was learning to lead.

Having seen God's power, experienced His victory and sensed His reality, it is no wonder that Joshua would boldly stand in the minority. He with only one other, Caleb, would take God at His word and believe His promises trustworthy on the edge of the Promised Land. By then, Joshua was 80.

It occurs to me that faith is born in and grown incrementally. Even one with first-hand encounters with the living God needed time and opportunity to prevail in faith walking. One of the main themes of the book of Joshua is that success is possible through obedience. Another lesson it teaches is the unrelenting faithfulness of God. And what God wants for His children is to live in such obedience that they begin to exhibit His faith-filled qualities and look like their Abba Daddy.

Slavery is bound by inability. Freedom is stifled. Choice is absent. But once a soul is set free, abilities are expected to be stroked and honed and used for God's glory. Freedom provides opportunity to learn and grow. Choice becomes a responsibility. Joshua never forgot from where he had come. He relived that powerful sea-splitting moment over and over in his mind. He fought valiantly because He understood who equipped him and went before him in battle. He used his freedom to make the choice to be faithful to the One who had been faithful to Him and his people.

“Moses said to the Lord, 'May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.'

“So the Lord said to Moses, 'Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him...and commission him in their presence...Moses did as the Lord commanded him.” (Numbers 27:15-22a)

We're each called to remember the place where Jesus found us and never forget that from which He rescued us. We must remember the battles God has fought for us and count the victories frequently so we never forget who goes before us. We're challenged to go forth in faith because we have a history with One who is ever faithful!

Nowhere do we read in Scripture that Joshua ever returned to a life of slavery. In fact, in his final years, he still bellowed allegiance to the God of Freedom. “'Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.'” (Joshua 24:14-15)

Joshua's path from slavery to seniority crossed a dry sea and a vast desert. His journey took him up a cloud covered mountain and across enemy borders. “After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. And they buried him in the land of his inheritance...” (Josh. 24:29-30a)





Like Joshua, we should never forget what lies behind, but we should never turn back to it either. If we want to live free in Christ and we want to lead others into the promised land filled with His presence, we have to live faithful, not enchained. The only way to achieve such freedom is to be one in whom is the spirit. “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

Cat Walk

By Brenda Black

On a normal morning, my Labrador greets me bouncing gleefully. She knows we're going for a walk down the road if I step out of the house early, and shod in my Sauconies. It's her chance to sniff to her heart's content and follow that nose for short, excited road-side adventures. She gets to stretch aging legs that spend too much time on concrete where she lay trying to keep cool in this blistering heat. For me, it's a way to clear my mind for the work ahead and burn off calories before they touch my lips and hips. We make a pretty good team. But once in a great while, we are joined by another companion – the cat. Then the walk looks a whole lot different.

My dog understands the drill. She jogs along perfectly positioned ahead, alongside or behind. She is confident and knows the course we trod and paces herself according to my gait. The cat, on the other hand, doesn't have a clue. Yet she pretends to be in charge. So with every 10 steps I take, she bolts from behind, pounces ahead and inconveniently drops and rolls playfully right in my path. If I didn't know better, I'd think she was trying to kill me!

I acknowledge her cuteness as I sidestep the fur-ball hurdle that could hurl me flat on my face. She pulls her catastrophic escapades three or four more calculated times before she gives up the game and wanders to the ditch to pursue smaller game. Today, she hung with us for well over a mile. Of course, as we stepped lively, she finally fell behind far enough to stop tripping me and far enough to have me keep looking over my shoulder to make sure she was still safe.

Before we finally reached home, I had scooped up the panting, far-less cocky cat and was hauling her little worn-out self the rest of the journey. She discovered she didn't know the way and she most certainly wasn't the leader.

Believers today can fall into any of these categories: the Faithful, Joyful, Confident Canine; the Determined Disciple; or the Know-it-All Kitty that trips the rest of us up and slows down the progress. Which are you?

The Book of John addresses each.

“When Jesus spoke again to the people he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'” (John 8:12) My dog knows the way because she follows her master consistently. She could walk it alone, but she never does. She'd rather walk it with me. Oh, to be a believer who spends so much time with the Savior that we know which way He's going and we long to stick near Him.

When we walk, I get time and space to talk with the Lord. Often, I simply listen. But just as it takes self-discipline to get up and get down that road early in the morning, likewise we are called to accept some pretty heavy doctrine from an omnipotent God. We are to believe even when it is hard to understand. It takes determination to be a disciple when the world is telling you that you are on the wrong path. John records in chapter 6 that Jesus turned some fickle followers off when they heard him speak of feeding on Himself. I'd have to admit that would be a bit hard interpret. But for those who grasped His eternal meaning, they became more than disciples – they became His children.

“On hearing it, many of his disciples said, 'This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?'

“Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, 'Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe...' Simon Peter answered him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.'” (Jn. 6:60-69)

Hopefully, you are gleefully committed and/or dutifully determined. If not either of these, you might be in danger of being a fickle feline wandering aimlessly, and tripping others on your misguided adventure.