August 19, 2017

GLORY CHISELED OUT OF A BROKEN LIFE

Recap of Tribe Night - August 19, 2017 | Joshua 8

Sometimes the train wrecks of our lives feel like the defining moments, but God looks at what lies ahead of us and his ability to bring about a creative, redemptive work. He sees his own Spirit alive within us and he swells with confidence. Joshua suffered an unexpected defeat at the hands of Achan’s sin and the swords of Ai, but the story was not yet over.

After a moment with the Lord to deal with the sin and accept what God had spoken, it was time to start anew. Again we hear God say, “Do not fear.” Even in the aftermath of sin and defeat, God says, “Do not fear or be dismayed,” and “arise and go.”

As we walk on the path of our Christian life, there will be victories and defeats, but God does not change and his mercies are new every morning. His ultimate victory for pain, disappointment, and death will not be moved. We move on from our setbacks and continue taking dominion over the earth because our obedience ensures we walk in what God has prepared for us to do (Eph 2:10). As we go forward, we trust God can get the victory in our lives that often seems so elusive.

Being sold-out for God creates a reward for us in heaven, which will be the weight of glory we lay at his feat. Our commitment to following the voice of God, even when it’s hard, is a chisel in the Lord’s hand as he carves out glory from our broken and ordinary lives.

A week and a half ago, I came across a man with a broken car outside a donut shop. I stopped and did what I could, which wasn’t much since I know very little about cars. After about 30 minutes of trying to jump-start his car, I finally asked him if we could pray. I confess I felt a little strange laying hands on his car, and at first nothing happened, but a few moments later the car started. The man came around the front of the car and said, “Your prayers have been answered.” He shook my hand and thanked me before he drove away.

These are the moments of eternity – the moments we step out of ourselves and our routines, to be present in someone else’s life. Whether a broken down car, or a broken down life, we need to help each other fight the battles we’re facing. One day in eternity, by God’s grace, we will worship him with a heavy weight of glory that rose out of a life of obedience and surrender to his call.