“So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the fighting force with him, all the mighty warriors. The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have handed them over to you; not one of them shall stand before you.” So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal. And the Lord threw them into a panic before Israel, who inflicted a great slaughter on them at Gibeon, chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled before Israel, while they were going down the slope of Beth-horon, the Lord threw down huge stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died because of the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword. On the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the Lord; and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and Moon, in the valley of Aijalon.” And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in midheaven, and did not hurry to set for about a whole day. There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded a human voice; for the Lord fought for Israel.”  Joshua 10:7-14

{Scene: A break room. Coworker #1 pulls out a bottle of vitamins.

Coworker #2: What’s that?

Coworker #1: Vitamin D.

Coworker #2: Why do you take that?

Coworker #1: Because we live in Ohio, and we never see the sun.

Coworker #2: Wait a minute … they make a vitamin that gives you a tan?} (Sally Churley, Cortland, Ohio)

The sun stood still. Did you know there are historical documents that speak evidence to this extraordinary event? Read on:

“It is reported by historians that records of the Chinese during the reign of Emperor Yeo, who lived at the same time as Joshua, report ‘a long day.’ Also, Heroditus, a Greek historian, wrote that an account of ‘a long day’ appears in records of Egyptian priests. Others cite records of Mexicans of the sun standing still for an entire day in a year denoted as ‘Seven Rabits,’ which is the same year in which Joshua defeated the Philistines and conquered Palestine.” (Bible-Science Newsletter, Daily Reading Magazine, Supplement, Vol. VIII, No. 5, May 1978, Caldwell, Idaho.)

So, why is this important? It is as important as if they had found a pill that gives you tan. In a world where there is the continual effort to find historical proof for biblical stories, to know that other cultures report something that corroborates the account of Joshua 10 does not confirm my faith – in fact it proves nothing to me. My faith does not need any proof, for if my faith needed proof, then it would not be faith, Amen? No, the story of Joshua and the reports from Heroditus and the account known as “Seven Rabits” just puts a smile on my face – for G-d is amazing – period – end of story. And maybe one day they will make a pill that will give me a tan – but that will require proof.

Pastor Dave

“For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:35-37

“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.” James 4:1-2

{“Our eldest daughter, Ann, invited her college roommate to join our large family for Thanksgiving dinner. As families sometimes do, we got into a lively argument over a trivial subject until we remembered we had a guest in our midst. There was an immediate, embarrassed silence. “Please don’t worry about me,” she said. “I was brought up in a family too.”}

“I was brought up in a family too.” That is a funny line. It is a reminder that all of us have a variety of family experiences – many of them good – and many of them, well, not so good. I was lucky enough to be brought up in a good household – one that nurtured individualism bolstered by unconditional love. But not all people have that experience – or have been lucky enough even to have been raised in a single, stable, household.

I find it of great solace that the bible is filled with familial distress – situations where sons treat their fathers rudely, and brothers seek to kill one another. It reminds us that family problems were endemic within family dynamics since the beginning of time. In other words, we are not alone when we are faced with arguments and dissention in the home – and among siblings. But what are we to do with statements from Jesus like, “I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.”

Jesus will go on to link this statement with a reference to taking up one’s cross: ‘Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me’ (10:38). In other words, taking up the cross for the sake of Jesus is one that will open you up to persecution, ridicule, and even hatred. And if that persecution, ridicule and hatred comes from your family, then so be it. But this does not mean that we are not faithful to the family in times of illness, and other difficulties that require much Grace. So dissention within the family is not something Jesus permits or endorses – Jesus is about love – love that is to be above all things, especially pride, ego, and getting our own way. And Jesus will remind his followers that they are to “Honor their father and mother”. But if the dissention within the family is because someone is choosing to follow Jesus, then they have made the right choice – following Jesus is to come before selfish needs – even if that includes the family.

Yes, this following Jesus thing is really hard.

Pastor Dave