Pushed Into Glory ~ BitterSweetLife

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Pushed Into Glory

"Strength and CourageNow Do It"



Last week’s “assignment” was to read the book of Joshua twice through, daring the Palestinian warrior to emerge in all his gory glory. He did—but his glory turned out not to be his at all.

It all started because Moses died. Moses was a legend, and therefore very hard to replace. As his heir apparent, Joshua’s position was unenviable. It’s no wonder that God needed to pull him aside for a talking to.

In the course of one transformative conversation, God urged Joshua three times to “be strong and courageous.” Strength and courage, strength and courage—the words began haunting Joshua then and there. Years later, if you asked him a question when he was leaning on his spear haft, dozing, he would rap out “Strength and courage” without fully waking up.

But at first, Joshua had to direct his energies toward persuading the Israelite people that he was their new head man. “Ok,” they told him. “But one thing: you’ve got to be strong and courageous.”

It was not the most auspicious beginning, but no one second-guessed Joshua’s grit down the road. His leadership potential had been, apparently, latent. Perhaps he was one of those formidable but unassuming types (like Viggo Mortensen in the first LOTR film). Whatever the case, God headed off Joshua’s tendencies to soft-sell the hard, cold issues confronting him. And the man’s fiery core blazed up and overawed an entire nation.

When all was said and done, no one made any bones about Joshua’s strength and courage. Israel decided he’d pretty much upheld the Mosean legacy, and everyone felt a sense of awe when Joshua came in view. His religious feelings were so, well, intense. And the man carried himself with an assured freedom. The more casual Israelite worshippers felt like he might put a spear through their throats if they so much as mumbled about skipping out on tabernacle services. Joshua’s views on God were so rigid.

This made for some uncomfortable conversations over coffee, but in the end, most all of Israel longed for a empowering
speaking relationship with God—like Joshua’s.

And all this from a man whom Yahweh had prodded forward with the twin goads of “strength and courage.” Joshua radiated pure dynamism, but the glory wasn’t his. It never was. It never is.



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4 comments:

Andrew Simone said...

“be strong and courageous.”

I once went to a summer camp in upstate NY. The director was an odd fellow with eyebrows that stuck out from his face at least a 1/2 in. He, also, had a very high pitched voice which was particularly amusing because he was a very burly, manly fellow. At the end of every session, the night before we would leave, he would quote the very verse you are referencing. To think about it makes me smile and I suppose your explication is the very reason the director so often quoted the passage.

AJ said...

Thanks for the story, oc. It's fascinating how God has to nudge us to become who we really "are."

Oneway the Herald said...

Strength and courage. I can dig it, man.

It can be edifying to imagine the details between the verses, as shown in your post.

>>become who we are<<

"Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12, NASB)

What's your read on this verse? I've wondered about "that for which I was laid hold of". It may coincide with "becoming who we are".

AJ said...

That verse is one of my all time favs, Oneway. It brings to mind another Pauline reference, from 1 Corinthians 13 - "then we will be like him because we will see him as he is" - he being Christ.

Jesus has grabbed hold of us so that we'll eventually grow into his mold, become aligned with "the image of God." I think your read is right on. These days, we're experiencing the duress and tension that comes from being en route to "who we are." Christ is leading the way to perfection, making us like him, but we're not yet there.

In the bittersweet interim, "Strength and courage" (ala Joshua, Paul) seems a very fitting motto.

 

Culture. Photos. Life's nagging questions. - BitterSweetLife