Author: Beth Duncan

Joshua 5:13a 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….
A dear friend once told me, “Any time we draw a line between ‘us’ and ‘them,’ God is always on the other side.” That philosophy has stuck with me. God is love, mercy, and compassion. He’s not about hate, division, and labeling. However, this section of Joshua brings up another really important point, a crucial question, “Am I on God’s side?”
Joshua 5:13b-14a …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….”
I understand why Joshua asked the question he did. There’s about to be a battle. Here’s this man with a drawn sword. Joshua wants to know if this man is for “us” or “them.” Whose side is he on? “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come….” 
Joshua 5:14b …Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the reminder that even more important than not reducing sides to “us” and “them,” it is absolutely crucial that we make sure that whatever we are fighting for in life, that we are on Your side, standing in Your will, fighting Your battles and not our own. Humble our hearts and draw us closer to You. Always. Amen.
Joshua 5:15 The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
Have a blessed day

Joshua 4:6-7 “…In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD.”
I love to tell the story of how I met my husband. It’s probably a bit longer story than some can appreciate, but to me, it is one of the first times I can say unequivocally that the LORD guided me to exactly where He needed me. I just don’t see any other explanation for the way events lined up as they did than God’s providence, and you will never convince me otherwise.
Joshua 4:21-22 …“In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’”
When I was living through the events, at the time, I couldn’t see His providence. I felt anger and frustration at what I saw as denied prayers. However, with time and perspective, I see His guiding hand clearly through all the ups and downs. And I am able to rest on that rock, the rock of His faithfulness, when the sands start to shift beneath my feet. He is in control. He has a plan. It may look incredibly different than my plan, but He is loving and sovereign and I CAN trust Him. And for that knowledge, I am so very grateful.
Joshua 4:23 “For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan what He had done to the Red Sea….”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the reminder to share our stories of Your faithfulness. Telling each other of Your goodness, reminding ourselves of Your providence and provision, gives us hope and courage when our present path seems dark and uncertain. You are sovereign, fiercely loving, steadfast. We can trust You, even when we are afraid. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.
Joshua 4:24 “He did this so that all the people’s of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.”
Have a blessed day.

Joshua 3:3 …“When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God…you are to move out from your positions and follow it.”
As I was reading Joshua chapter 3 this morning, I was struck particularly by verse 5, where Joshua tells the Israelites to purify (sanctify or consecrate) themselves. Commentary says that to do so means “they were to separate themselves from common things to focus on the LORD.” That idea put me in mind of a song our praise band sings called “Holy Now.”
Joshua 3:4 “Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before….”
The lyrics of the song talk about how as children, we often relegate God to church and miracles to things that only happened in the Bible, but as the speaker grows and matures in his faith, he begins to see that “everything is holy now.” I think when we view our lives through the lens of our faith, we are able to see Christ—His presence, His mercy, His love—in all things, and that is a beautiful gift.
Joshua 3:5 Then Joshua told the people, “Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do great wonders among you.”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the fact that, because of You (and in You and through You), everything is holy now. Help us to always see You in our circumstances. Draw us closer. Amen.
Joshua 3:13 “…as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, it’s waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”
Have a blessed day.

Joshua 2:1 Then Joshua son of Nun sent two spies….So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.
The story of Rahab the prostitute fascinates me. On the surface, it seems utterly random. How did the spies end up at her house? How did she know to help them, to hide them? Commentary on this chapter says that militarily, this mission did not really do anything helpful for Israel. But Rahab, through her actions, was redeemed from a life of prostitution. She was able to save her family. She ended up marrying a prince and was in Jesus’s royal lineage.
Joshua 2:4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they came from.”
This seems to me to be an example of leaving the 99 to save the one, an example of God’s plans for us being so much bigger than our own, an example of the beauty that can come from ashes if we are willing to take a chance on the One True King. Was Rahab afraid? Was she sick of her life and her choices? Did her family balk when she told them that in order to survive, they had to come to a house of prostitution? 
Joshua 2:9 …“I know that the LORD has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us….
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the hope and promise that can only come from You. I like neat packages, all questions answered, everything tied up in a nice little bow, but that’s not the way You work. Thank You for helping me to become at least slightly more ok with uncertainty because You are with me. Thank You for Your fierce love and steadfast presence. Thank You for sitting with me as I study Your word. Thank You for drawing me closer. Amen.
Joshua 2:12 “Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you….”
Have a blessed day.

Joshua 1:6 “Be strong and courageous….”
Many times I have used these verses in Joshua to give me strength and courage. Many times I have used them to encourage others. Four times in the one chapter, some form of “Be strong and courageous” is repeated. It’s hard NOT to be encouraged with that repetition.
Joshua 1:7 “Be strong and very courageous….”
Commentary on this verse says that the fact that Joshua needed to hear it repeated so many times was a sign of a flaw in him, mainly his need for encouragement. But don’t we all need encouragement? Is that weakness or human nature? And the encouragement leads to an important reminder—Joshua can be strong and courageous BECAUSE the LORD is with him, not because of anything he is or does. The constant reminder to be strong and courageous is a reminder that he isn’t doing this in his own strength, that God is with him.
Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong as courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder that You are with us and because of Your presence, we don’t have to be afraid. Thank You for the need for encouragement, which helps to remind us that we aren’t called to do Your work in our strength but in Your strength. Help us to encourage one another and build each other up as we point each other to You. Draw us closer. Amen.
Joshua 1:18 “…Only be strong and courageous!”
Have a blessed day.