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I will admit it…I like to be in charge. I think we all do to a certain extent. We like to be in charge of our own decisions. We like to be in charge of where we go and what we do. We like to be masters of our own ship and king of our own castle. But the truth is that we all live under the authority of something or someone else.

We all live under the authority of need. We need food and water and shelter to survive and thrive in this mortal life. So we work and save and plan. We live under the authority of the government. We live under the authority of parents and even friends. We surrender to all kinds of authority in our lives. Sometimes that authority chafes and sometimes it is easy. But we all live under authority. The important thing is to choose what kind of authority we will live under.

In our reading this week we see an interesting period in the history of Israel. It is a time of transition when the people of God are making decisions about how they want to be lead, what kind of authority they will live under.

It all started out as a simple family living in Canaan. Jacob and his twelve sons and his daughter lived in peace in the land that God had promised to Abraham. Authority was firmly established. Jacob was the father and so he made the decisions. But his authority was marred by a love for a special son and the rebellion of his brothers. So things changed.

Joseph matured in Egypt. First as a slave then as a prisoner then as a ruler of man. He helped feed a nation and so met up again with his family. He brought them to live in Egypt where they settled in a good land and prospered. Then things changed.

There rose a Pharaoh who did not know Joseph. He only knew that the Israelites would make good slaves. So he put them to work and oppressed them. Until God sent Moses to lead His people out of slavery. Ten plagues changed everything.

The people left Egypt and went to Sinai. Here God formed a family into a nation. He gave them a Law and an identity. They were the people of God’s own choosing. A people belonging to the Lord. Through rebellion, wandering, and the conquest of Canaan, the people grew. Each step of the way was guided by the authority of God. But eventually that changed.

In 1 Samuel the people have decided to reject the leadership of God. They go to Samuel and ask for a king. Samuel goes to God, angry at the request of the people, but God is ready to allow the people free will. God gives them the freedom to choose their leadership. They choose to follow the ways of the world. The results will be disastrous.

Being in charge comes with a grave responsibility. Being in charge means we make decisions that affect the entire course of our future. God wants what is best for us, so He offers us His leadership. He calls for our surrender. It is hard at times, but well worth it. You see, God has a view of the future that we can never have. God knows the hearts of men like we can never know. God calls us to standards that are higher than we can imagine and then empowers us with strength beyond ourselves. But it begins with surrendering to God’s authority.

The most important decision that I can make is to live under the authority of God. This means giving up control. This means that I am not in charge. But that is OK. God offers something better. He offers Himself. So ask yourself the question, “Who will lead?”

We sing a song at VBS with our kids. It goes…

“I want to be like Daniel, I want to be like Ruth!
I want to be like Daniel, I want to be like Ruth!
For Ruth she was so good and kind,
And Daniel was a mighty man….
I want to be like Daniel, I want to be like Ruth!”

It’s a simple song that the kids sing in parts, but more than that, it is a song that teaches them, and us, to honor the characteristics of Bible people.

I like Bible people. I will admit that I have a tendency to put them on a pedestal or make them more “holy” than they might have been. But there is a danger in that. You see, the people in the Bible were not meant to simply be examples of how to get it right. It is their ability to struggle through life, the same kind of life and struggles that we all deal with, that teach us how to best walk with God. The Bible does not present these people as perfect. The Bible shows us how they struggle and how they fail, as well as how they succeed. It is in that struggle that I often find myself.

The story of Ruth has a lot of layers. There is the story of Naomi, a woman who followed her husband out of the Promised Land and away from God. She suffered grief and loss in her journey away from God, but there was also blessing. A blessing that gave her Ruth and led her back home.

There is also the story of Boaz. This is a story of how a man can live out the character of Jesus. Boaz is the “kinsman-redeemer” in the story. The one who brings Ruth into the people of God and makes her a part of the family of God’s people.

There is the story of lineage and the backstory of a king who followed God with his whole heart. A lineage that would lead to a Savior for mankind and hope for eternity with God.

There is also the story of Ruth. A foreigner who makes a decision to become a part of God’s people. Ruth starts out the story in Moab, a place that has long been hostile to God’s people. She gave herself first to marriage with Naomi’s son. That son died and Ruth was now faced with a choice. Continue to walk in to a relationship with God, or turn back and live in the world she had grown up in. Ruth decides to follow Naomi and live with the people of God. The choice was not easy, but it was beautiful. And Ruth new exactly what it meant.

Ruth 1:16-17 says,” But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”

The words are not random, the commitment is not shallow. Ruth is walking away from her people and the world that she knows. She is willing to go wherever God may lead her and dwell in a land of God’s choosing. Ruth will invest in the lives of God’s family and she will remain faithful until death.

Ruth teaches us what it means to surrender. To give all to follow God. That little song we sing for children is more real to me now than it has ever been. “I want to be like Ruth!”

There’s a group of boys playing in my front yard. I stand in the garage and get to listen as they interact. They range from 8 to 10 years old and are intent on playing a “Home Run” game with a whiffle bat and balls. The object is to hit the balls over the cars in the driveway. Every time one makes it, there is a chorus of cheers and clapping, encouragement to hit another, and the recognition that the boy who hits is really strong. It is that recognition of strength that makes me laugh. Everybody wants to be strong. Strength can be a real asset in home run hitting, or football, or soccer, or any other sport or game that 9 year olds play.

But if I stop and think it through, that’s true of adults too. Everyone likes to be strong. We talk about strength in a variety of areas. Strength of almost any kind is desirable in our culture. It is an attractive quality in men and women. It brings confidence and a sense of self-assurance. Physical strength emotional strength, financial strength, you name it and we desire it. We desire to be viewed as strong. We hate to be viewed as weak.

This week, as we finish up the Book of Judges, we look at a man who was known for his strength, Samson. His name is a byword for strength. When I was young, I had a Bible with pictures and Samson was the guy with the biggest muscles. He looks like a professional wrestler or body builder. Long flowing locks of hair that blow in the wind. He doesn’t own many shirts, but he has whole shelves full of oil. The women swoon as he walks by and the men are jealous. He looks like he has it all together and the stories they tell about his strength are amazing. He has killed a lion with his bare hands. He has torn the gates off of a city wall. He breaks cords and rope by flexing his muscles. He has killed Philistines by the thousands.

But where does his strength come from? As a child I thought it was all about his hair. The longer the hair, the stronger Samson became. But as an adult, I know better. Samson’s strength came from God. It was the spirit of God coming on Samson in power that enabled Samson to commit the deeds he carried out. He started off as a child living under a vow. The vow was meant to dedicate Samson to the service of the Lord. But Samson lived out his vow half-heartedly at best. He enjoyed the blessing, but was never very good at surrender or obedience. He drank when he should have resisted. He touched what the Lord forbade. He lied, he schemed, and he gloried in his own pride. He seemed to think that God would simply continue to give Samson his strength, but eventually, God let Samson live out his own choices.

Judges 16:20 is one of the saddest statements in the Bible. It is the moment when Delilah has cut Samson’s hair, the moment when Samson has told her his strength flows from his hair. It is in that moment that God allows Samson to live in his own strength. And Samson’s strength is not able to carry him through. The Bible says that Samson did not know that the Spirit of God had left him. He was unaware of his spiritual walk with God. He had lived so long for self, just assuming that God would do what Samson wanted, that he never realized that God was the source of his power. That is until he stood alone, blind, a prisoner of the Philistines. It is in that moment when Samson calls out to God. Not a very good prayer and really centered on Samson’s own agenda, but he prayed, and God answered.

Samson’s story can be sad. But it is a great way to learn what embedding the Bible is all about. You see, you and I cannot be strong on our own. Oh, I know we can attain all the kinds of strength that the world offers, but this isn’t the kind of strength that is important. The strength you and I long for is the strength that comes from walking with God. The strength that comes from surrender and obedience. The strength to walk away from sin and self. The strength to live in the world but not of the world. You and I want to be strong in the Lord. Embedding the Bible helps us to see the promise of God and know the strength that God provides. Embedding the Bible strengthens our walk with God so that God’s strength can empower our lives.

So take the lesson. Live out the promises you have made to God and watch God live out His promises in you. Live in the strength that God provides. Be strong in the Lord.

The Book of Judges lists 12 people who served as rulers in Israel after the conquest of Canaan; Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Ibzan, Elon, Abdon, and Samson. Some would mention Abimelech in a list of judges, but I will leave him off the list since his role is questionable. Of the twelve judges listed, seven are mentioned in 3 or fewer verses each. That is more than half of the judges. These seven people are easy to look over. We know a name. Sometimes how many sons and how many donkeys they had. We know that Shamgar killed 600 men with an ox goad (a pointy stick). But beyond that, there is not much information about these people.

When I was about 17, I had a chance to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. At the time I don’t think I had a good idea of what the wall stood for. It had only been open for about 5 years at the time. It was more or less just a list of names of the men who had given their lives in the service of their country during Vietnam. To tell the truth, it was stark and bare. No explanation given. No ranks listed. No recognition of which branch of service or what particular group the men and women fought with. Just a list of names. The sheer number was overwhelming and at the time I thought that was the point. To give a long list of people who had given their lives so that I could experience freedom. And I think that is important. But years later, thinking about that wall, I have more and more respect for what it stands for.

The rank of each person is unimportant. The number of people is staggering, but not what is most important. The branch of service might be nice, but it is, in the end, unimportant. Each name stands for someone who served, and died, or who was missing in action. They each served a principle. They each followed a standard. They gave all to insure the forward movement of freedom. Their names are enough to remember them. Their names give us enough information. They were people, like you and me, who showed us how to stand up for freedom and liberty.

That is what those seven judges in the Book of judges mean for me. Their story is not about great feats of strength or cunning, like Samson’s story. Their story is not about learning trust and reliance the way that we see Gideon learning. Their story is not about listening to the voice of God like Deborah taught Barak. No. Their story is the quiet but powerful story of everyday faith. These seven lived a life devoted to God and that was what was most important. That was what God decided to share with us in the Bible. It is the legacy that they leave behind. The legacy that says, “there people followed God, no matter the cost.”

Quiet, devoted faith makes a difference. Learning to trust and to follow, to lead and to serve, are all important. That kind of faith is formed in the everyday decisions of life. Faith is shaped in the “normal” part of how we live. The decisions we make about movies, television, and reading. The discussions we have with friends and family in the familiar surroundings of home. The prayers we utter during laundry or morning coffee. The habits of service we practice in the everyday moments of life. These are not big, flashy moments of growth. They are slow, deliberate growth that shapes our hearts.

Embedding the Bible is not about some bolt of lightning from heaven. Oh, God can do that when He wants, and sometimes there are big flashes of insight. But growth also comes through the steady study of God’s word. The decision to be faithful in every moment of the day. The deliberate embedding in our hearts that we do as we read our Bibles. Embedding is about steady, deliberate growth. Growth that quietly but persistently impacts those around us and builds a legacy of faith that follows us.

With the words of Joshua ringing in their ears, the Israelites now settle the land of Canaan. As the Book of Judges opens, we see a people who cling to God. The men of Judah and Simeon trust the promises of God and prepare for battle with the Canaanite inhabitants. Victory follows battle and the trustworthiness of God is once again displayed. Trust in God has led His people to experience the promises that He has made.

But read down to Judges 1:21 and a different picture begins to emerge. The tribe of Benjamin does not follow the command of God. Rather than driving the inhabitants out of the land, the Benjamites decide to allow the Jeusites to live dwell among them. It is a concession to the commands of God. It seems merciful in the moment, a peace that leads to coexistence, but it is, in reality, a moment of disobedience that will lead to hurt, pain, and a growing chasm between God and His people.

This pattern of compromise with the world will repeat itself over and over even more blatantly in the rest of Judges 1. The tribes of Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulon, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan seemingly do nothing to finish the conquest of Canaan. They lay down their arms and dwell among the inhabitants of the land. They ignore the all of Joshua and the promises of God.

In the moment, this may seem like a reasonable solution. The people of God long to stop the fighting and lay down their arms. They decide that living among the people of the world is OK. But the long term effects of this decision will have grave, unintended consequences. And that is the lesson and the warning of the chapter.

The phrase “unintended consequences” was first used in a popular sense by John Locke in the mid to late 17th century and further defined by Robert Melton in the 20th century. I tis used to explain how a decision can have one of three possible effects on a given situation. The social sciences (sociology, psychology, political science, economics, etc.) use the phrase extensively and acknowledge that any decision made can affect a group dynamic in unexpected ways. There can be unexpected benefits, unexpected drawbacks, or perverse results. It is the idea that, while we think we are making a good decision, a reasonable action can bring about consequences that we did not think through.

In Judges 1 we have a great example of a people who make a decision that will bring perverse results. A perverse result is a decision that is intended to lead one place, but ends up in the opposite place. Israel seems to decide to live in peace. The decision will lead them to conflict. By deciding not to follow through with the conquest of Canaan, the people of Israel invite idolatry and sin into their lives. This decision to make peace brings them into conflict with God. This decision to live in the land on their own, personal terms, will eventually lead to captivity and the removal of Israel from the Promised Land.

You and I make decisions every day. Like Israel, we have a clear call from God about how to live and how to interact with the world around us. But like the Israelites, we often just want to live in peace. So we make decisions based on our own desires or our own wishes. Beware! The law of unintended consequences may be lurking in your future!

Judges 1 teaches us that God knows what we need. Although it is often hard to see how God is unfolding the future, we know that God is in control. Every decision we make must fall in line with His will and His word. We must live by the promises of God. This means we will live in conflict with the world’s desire, or with our own wishes at times. But that is what embedding the Bible is all about. Learning to conform our wishes to the desire of God. Being transformed so that our hearts beat in time with the heart of God. Heed the warning. God knows best. He desires good for us. He gives us a path to walk. He calls for our surrender. Otherwise, there just might be unintended consequences.

We’ve done a lot of babysitting in our time and we love it! The funniest part of the experience are those last few minutes as a set of parents is dropping off the child or children and preparing to head out the door. There are always a ton of last minute instructions. Bedtime routine reminders, feeding tips and tricks, and the mention of the favorite stuffed animal or blanket that the child just can’t do without. It is a moment when the parents want to know that the child still has something to cling to for comfort and support as the parent walks out the door. It may be for just a short time, but both baby and parent need the assurance.

In Joshua 23 and 24, Joshua is giving his final address to the people of Israel. This leader has walked with God’s people through a trying time in history. He has led the people in the conquest of Canaan. He has fought alongside them. Prayed for them. Guided their steps and given them battle plans. He loves the people of God. Now he is preparing to exit the stage. But before he goes, he has to give them some last minute instructions. Some reminders about who they are and where they are headed. Like a good parent, Joshua wants to reassure his people that they are in good hands.

In Joshua 23:8, Joshua tells the people to cling to God. I love that picture. The idea of “clinging” is to grab hold of and never let go. It is the picture of the child with the favorite blanket or stuffed animal. They cling for comfort and assurance. Joshua is reminding the people that though things are changing, though they are settling into the promise of God as they settle the land, God is present and active. He continues to be the God who moves and blesses His people. Clinging to God is an active picture of dependence and surrender.

How do you and I live in the presence of God today? Just like the people of Israel did in the time of Joshua.

See the blessings of God around you. The Israelites were reminded that the land allotments were a gift from God. They were to look at the places where they lived and know that God was the gifter. You and I need to do the same. Look around you and see how God has blessed you. Home, family, friends, all of these are a blessing from God. God’s hand continues to move in your life.

Listen to the voice of God. Joshua reminds the people to obey the commands that God had given Moses. The commands that had shaped their lives and guided their steps. You and I need to be aware of the voice of God. We need to be committed to reading and studying our Bibles. We need to be in fellowship with God’s people, the church. We need Godly mentors who remind us of God’s will and God’s words.

Live lives of distinction. Joshua warns against intermarriage and close associations with foreign nations. While it is a little hard for us to always understand, we need to see that we are called to be distinct in the world. We have a responsibility to call people out of the world and the culture, not to become so enamored or so enthralled with the culture that we lose our God given flavor. God wants us to live lives distinguished by grace, mercy, service, truth, and commitment.

Joshua’s words to Israel are powerful words for us today. They are worth embedding on our hearts. God is present. He still calls for His people to cling to Him. That means letting go of the world.

The very name of Jericho brings to mind thick, strong walls. These are walls that tower over the people of Israel and make them look small in comparison. The walls of this city scream “strength.” They cry out “security!” They are built to protect. They serve to intimidate. But as Joshua leads the army of Israel against these walls, there is another presence that is proclaimed. The presence of God.

Too often on our journey we come face-to-face with walls. Walls that block our vision. Walls that dominate the landscape of our hearts. Walls that make us feel small and powerless. As Joshua faces the walls of Jericho, he learns that the presence of God can make the walls come tumbling down. We need to hear the lessons. Strength is not found in walls or man’s ability to deal with them. Strength is found in the presence of God.

God makes a promise to Joshua. “I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.” God says that the battle is already won. The victory is already here. The people just need to open their eyes and see it. In a place where the world’s power seems dominant, God calls the people to announce His presence.

Close your eyes and capture the picture. A long column of armed men gather in front of Jericho. In the midst of the column are priests carrying a gold box atop their shoulders. Beautiful golden cherubim grace the lid of the box. God has promised His people that His presence will dwell between their outstretched wings. The ark of God’s presence is to go with the armies of Israel as they march around the city. As the priests walk before the ark, they are to blow the trumpets. Trumpets announce the presence of God.

As we look at Israel’s history, we see that trumpets announce three very specific things. They announce the crowning of kings. They announce times of worship. They announce the call to battle. At the gates of Jericho, the blowing of the rams’ horns means the same things.

A King is present. Through the trumpets blare, the Israelites announce that even though they do not have a physical and earthly king, God leads them. He is the King of Heaven and He is the King of their hearts. The throne of heaven and the throne of their lives is filled with the presence of God. Every act of obedience honors Him as worthy. Every step they take declares His majesty. Every blast of the trumpet proclaims that all authority and dominion belong to the Lord.

Bow your hearts in worship. As the sound of the trumpets echoes against the walls of stone, it calls the people to worship. Their hearts are not to be hard and stone-like in the presence of the Lord. Recognizing His presence in this moment should unleash a flood of awe, humility, adoration, and praise. The call of the trumpets is a call to give themselves fully to God.

Prepare for victory. Trumpets are a call to battle. God’s people have always faced enemies. There have always been battles to fight and evil to subdue. Joshua follows where God leads. He knows that God is with him. In this one truth, there is victory. The outcome of the battle does not depend on our own strength or cunning. The call of the trumpets is a call to keep our eyes on our General. Triumph and victory are found in Him alone.

The symbol of God’s presence leads the people into battle. As the army walks around Jericho, they see the ark. They know God is leading them. Their eyes can see the gold shining in the sun. Like fire in the night, God’s presence calls the army to follow. Each step the army takes has already been walked by God.

As the walls of Jericho crash to earth, Joshua sees the fulfillment of God’s promise. The battle is won and the victory is secure. Not because of Joshua’s strength or the Israelites’ bravery. The victory rests in the presence of God.

What do you need to do today to more fully open your eyes to the presence of God? Embedding the Bible helps us lift our eyes from ourselves and the walls that we face to see God’s presence in our lives.

This article comes from “Tell Me the Story: Heroes of Faith.” I hope it helps you experience the presence of God as your read your Bible this week.

Spiritual growth is about change. As we walk with God, we are transformed. God works in us to change the way we think, act, behave, and feel. This process of change is not random, nor should it be unexpected. God has a design in mind for the life of every believer. The goal of spiritual growth is the transformation of our lives into a reflection of the nature and character of Jesus. With this specific goal in mind, God guides us through the process of spiritual growth and we experience life change. But change is often scary. If we admit it, most of us don’t like change. Change is one of those things that means life will become different than it is. I know that the promise of being “better” is appealing, but the unknown is often hard to adjust to.

As we embed the Bible this week, we make a transition. We finish the Book of Deuteronomy and start the Book of Joshua. While we simply turn the page in our Bibles, the people living the story of God’s people were experiencing a tremendous amount of change. That change came in the form of leadership, purpose, and movement.

At the end of Deuteronomy, Moses gives his final blessings on the people of God. The leader that brought the Israelites out of Egypt and who walked with them for more than forty years is not going to be leading them as they enter the Promised Land. The transition in leadership means that a different voice is talking to God on behalf of the people. Would Joshua lead them the way that Moses led them? How could they know that they were going to be led the right way? It is a good question to ask. This transition was designed by God. Joshua had been the aide to Moses. He had stood at the tent of meeting while Moses talked to God. He has walked through the wilderness with the Israelites. Joshua was chosen by God to lead God’s people. The younger leader was taking over for the older leader.

As you and I grow in our walk with God, we will experience a variety of leaders. We will come to know and trust godly people who will have an impact on our lives. How do we know what to listen to? That is where you and I can find answers in the life of Joshua. God calls us to be in community. Transitions are easier when we are surrounded by voices who follow God. Just like Joshua had stood in the presence of the Lord, you and I should be looking for people who stand in the presence of God. Is our leader a person of prayer? Do they live what they know of God’s will. Is the character of Christ displayed in their lives? Have they been faithful followers, listening to other godly voices?

The Israelites are entering Canaan. No longer are they a wandering people. They now have a specific purpose. They are called to conquer the land. They are now an army. In the same way, as we grow, we transition from wandering through life to committing to the specific purpose of God. We are called to stand up for faith, to proclaim God’s rule in our lives, and to dedicate ourselves to His purposes. Watching the Israelites, we see that Joshua prayed. Living in God’s purpose requires us to be connected to God. The Israelites were circumcised. You and I are called to baptism and the daily cutting away of the world from our lives. The Israelites worshiped. As we grow, worship becomes vital to our lives. Living in the purpose of God calls us to prayer, repentance, and worship.

Transitions can be hard, but they are necessary. Like the growing pains of a child, we may experience some discomfort, but we know that when we stay in the will of God, we are growing to be healthy, spiritual, godly men and women. Embrace the change to look like Jesus. Embed the will of God deep in your heart. God has great things in store for His people!

In Deuteronomy 27:1-8, Moses calls the people of Israel to erect stones as they enter Canaan. The stones are to be plastered and then the Law of God is to be written on the stones. This writing is meant to be a memorial that is plain to see. Anyone who comes and reads the words or sees the stones can plainly see the standard of God’s people.

While the call seems a bit strange in our minds, it is a reminder of what you and I are in this world. We are a declaration to the world that God is moving and shaping mankind. As children of God, we are called to live distinctive, noticeable lives for God in this world. Just take a look at some of the ways you and I write the Law of God on our lives so that it is plain to see in the world.

Matthew 5:16 declares that you are light. Your deeds are done in plain sight of the people around you so that they may see and praise God. Jesus calls us to live our lives for God in such a way that people notice. He calls us salt and light. We influence the taste and the sight of the world as we share the grace and transformation that Jesus promises. We do not blend in with society or fit in with the standards of the world. We invade the culture with the heart and call of God.

Paul echoes the words of Jesus as he writes to the church in Thessalonica. In 1 Thessalonians 5:5 Paul tells us that we are children of light. We shine in the darkness of this world. We do not act in the cover of darkness. We do not hide our allegiance or our lifestyles from the world. We boldly live our beliefs for all to see. Christians cannot hide behind or within the world. We are called to take a stand and shine with the light of Jesus.

In 2 Corinthians 3:2-3, Paul changes the image but keeps the spirit of the message. He tells the church in Corinth that they are a letter, written on the heart, that proclaims the presence of Jesus to the world. This letter is intended for all to read. Paul reminds us that we live out the life of a disciple in such a way that the whole world can read our story. We live lives of transparency. Not confident in our own strength, but as men and women who struggle with sin, but stand in the forgiveness provided by God. It is a powerful message. We are not perfectly living out the will of God, but can stand perfectly within the love of Christ. We can show the world what it means to rely on God for all we need.

In Galatians 6 Paul points to his own handwriting and the large letters he uses to write to the Galatians. He points to the need for God’s people to be large letters as they live life. Just before this statement, Paul encourages those who have been taught to become teachers. To live large lives in the world. Teaching others how to live with Jesus.

As you can see, the memorial stones of Deuteronomy 27 prepare us to see how living with God is a declaration to the world. You and I are called to embed the will of Godin our lives in such a way that we become a memorial in the world. We show the world the heart of God in lives lived boldly. We make the presence of God plain to see.

On July 4, 1776, the American Continental Congress issues a Declaration of Independence. We look back on this day as the day when the United States took its place on the world stage. We celebrate in one day our country’s beginning. But like so many things, this day does not exist by itself in history. Independence Day did not come about in a vacuum. It is surrounded with events and people and places both before the day and after. The 13 British Colonies that declared independence on July 4th had fought for their freedoms in a variety of ways before Independence Day. The Boston Massacre in March of 1770. The Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773. The battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775. All of these events led up to the declaration. After the colonies claimed independence, the Revolutionary War broke out. Independence was not a single event. It was an event that rested in the middle of other events. In Deuteronomy 20, Moses stands and issues a call to preparation. It is a call to stir the Israelites to readiness to go to war.

From the Exodus, through the wilderness, and now to the borders of Canaan, Israel has been preparing to go to war. God has been leading them to the moment when they would enter the Promised Land and claim the gift the God. As they stand ready on the Plains of Moab, they can look back and see how God has prepared them. God has shown His might and power on behalf of His people in the 10 Plagues and the parting of the Red Sea. God has taught them to follow His footsteps in the Pillar of Cloud and Fire. He has given them a standard to live by at Sinai with the 10 Commandments. God has taught them the lessons of rebellion when they would not take the land the first time. Ten spies said proclaimed the power of the world. Two spies proclaimed the might of God. The people followed the ten and spent the next forty years dying in the wanderings. Now there was a people ready to follow God into the Promised Land. Now Moses calls the people of God to be ready.

Battle begins with the understanding that God goes with us. We do not fight battle with our own strength or by our own might. We fight he battles that God lays before us and we rely on His strength for victory. Any situation we face must first focus on the presence of God. Are you struggling with family trouble? Are your finances a mess? Are you worried about the world and its influence? Then it is time to set your eyes on the power and presence of God. What is God calling you to do in this situation? What does God want for your family, finances, and the culture you live in? Don’t make your own plans. Set your mind and heart on God. Spend time in prayer and study. Listen for the voice of God in His people. Get a perspective on God’s desire. Prepare yourself to follow where God is leading. Moses calls for the priests to stand before the people in battle. Worship is a powerful tool to help get your perspective right. When we surrender our time, resources, hearts, and lives in worship, we learn to follow where God is leading.

As Moses calls the priests to stand before the people in battle, he instructs the priests to call the people to boldness. Faintheartedness is not for the people of God. Boldness is the order of the day. We live in a time when the people of God need to stand boldly for the will of God. The battles that we face can be daunting. We see soldiers and chariots arrayed before us. Media and political structures that look too big to fight. But we are not called to fear. We are called to see the might of God. We area called to boldly face the giants that inhabit our land and our culture. Being prepared for boldness demands that we get our lives in line with the coming battle. Does your family, your home, belong to God? Does your work life reflect a dedication to God’s will? Is your heart in the hands of God?

Boldness shows up in the “normal” places of our lives. Fighting for God is not about taking on the big things all at once. It is about years of following the daily leading of God. Preparedness takes place in the everyday moments of life. When we declare independence from the world, we are committing to the battle. The battle for the hearts and minds of the world. Our Independence Day is today! God calls us to practice the obedience and faith that He has been preparing in us. Are you ready to fight?