Bibledoorajar: Having Entered, Then What?

     Moses had died and his last speech lingered in the hearts and minds of the Israelites. The speech was clear; live according to the law and be blessed or live the opposite and be cursed. And if you take the time to go back and read those chapters listing the blessings and curses it is enough to make one shiver. But still, a people who would inherit the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob included awareness of and participation in the guidelines of a righteoous people. Joshua testified of that again. And even though future apostasy was predicted, God was presented still as a God of promise. The taking of the Land would end in victory because of rhe Lord.  Meanwhile in front of them were peoples that did not live that way; people who worshipped alien gods and did terrible things in the exaltation of sin. The Hebrews were to be different and were to be willing to help anihilate the most gross of evil.
     God now planned to move toward completion. The people were going in. But details had to be attended to first. The Jewish nation needed a human leader who would be in the mold of Moses in terms of the law and allegience to God but who would also have the mindset of a conqueror. God setttled on Joshua who had been born a slave in Egypt but who would end his life remembered for conquering. This unique band of people who awaited going in, however, were a new generation who basically had been living a nomadic life in the Wilderness listening to Moses share about the nature of their God. But God knew that a visible sign was necessary for this new generation that was born in the wilderness to show forth their commitment. They needed to be circumcised as had the previous generations. And so one of Joshua's first orders was to gather the men and get that done.
     We know from other scriptures that this outward circumcision was really to be a reflection of the heart. This would be God's work of knowing their commitment. Even today, it is not always easy to tell if a second generation has experienced true conversion, especially if they have grown up in Sunday School and church culture and that is all they have known. Like Moses, we teach, we describe, we hold up, but still that personal circumcision of the heart is not always manifested later in a life of faith. The great joy of occupying until our JOSHUA comes to lead us in  the final victory depends so much on whether our children really come to see their great need for heart circumcision. For this, we testify, we witness with our lives and we trust the Spirit of Truth to hold our hearts aright and help the next generation to not base their future on history alone.
     I live in a town where there are quite a few churches. Today, there is one that bears an historical marker on its' building that is now up for sale. Others are occupied by ever reducing numbers. It becomes clear that people and churches cannot live on history alone. (Romans 9:24-29). The question becomes having entered, then what?