13 When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in His hand. Joshua approached Him and asked, “Are You for us or for our enemies?”14 “Neither,” He replied. “I have now come as commander of the Lord’s army.” Then Joshua bowed with his face to the ground in worship and asked Him, “What does my Lord want to say to His servant?”15 The commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. Joshua 5:13-15
My words…
Praise
Jesus, is that You? Standing outside Jericho holding a sword? Scholars seem to think so since no other heavenly being would accept Joshua’s act of worship. No other heavenly being except the Lord God would make dusty ground holy. But a sword? I shouldn’t be surprised: You always say and do what is right in every situation. Joshua needed to see You, needed to hear You. There he stood, surveying one of the most fortified walled cities of the ancient world. His army of inexperienced wilderness wanderers posed zero threat to Jericho and its wall. Then You appear, armed. Joshua asks a fitting question: Are You for us or against us? Will You show Your allegiance to us or to our enemies? When I read Your answer for the first time, it just didn’t sound right. Neither? Why wouldn’t You be for Joshua and the Israelite army? But You had assumed a title that dispelled all my doubt and confusion. You are the Commander. You lead a heavenly army. The outcome is decided. Joshua’s allegiance is to You. Not the other way around.
Your response is a beacon with its origin at Jericho, beaming across the centuries with no end in sight. You are my Commander. You fight for me. My allegiance is to You. Not the other way around.
Prayer for me
When I read passages such as this, I realize how narrow a focus I have of You, Jesus. You are the Suffering Servant, the Prince of Peace, the Good Shepherd. You are meek. You are gentle. But as Commander of the Lord’s army, You take up arms against the powers that would harm me. How many times have You already rescued me from an unseen foe? How many, Lord?
Forgive me
There are times when I have faced my own wall of Jericho. I stand outside the wall and despair. The wall is too big, too strong. I can’t breach it by myself. But there I stand, despairing. Forgive me for not casting off despair and stepping in cadence with my Commander. Forgive me for being a deserter instead of a sure believer in the power of the Captain of the Lord’s army.
Prayer for Others
I learned this week that a special person I know has just stepped up to her Wall of Jericho. Cancer is marching through her body, leaving mutated cells in its wake. Another friend – a single mother- stands in the shadow of her Wall of Jericho, unable to control the abusive actions of her teenage son. And a dear friend who is dedicated to her Alzheimer-afflicted mother even though her mother has no idea it is her daughter who continues to visit – has been standing at her wall for years. Fight for these servants, Lord! Remind them that You have brandished Your sword for them! You are their Commander. The wall will come down, and what lies beyond the wall is victory – Your victory. Give us the faith to see Your victory as our victory as well.
Thank You
There is no one else who can fight for us the way You do. Thank You for taking up the sword on our behalf. Thank You for keeping it unsheathed, in Your hand, at the ready.
More Praise
Lord, Jesus, You stare down the forces of evil in the heavenly places; Your sword strikes powerfully and sure. You fight for me. You fight for all who declare You as their Commander. We praise You, our Steadfast Leader, our Tireless Captain, our Almighty Commander.
