...the Lord spoke to Joshua...

Read or hear the story from Joshua 1:1-6

Read excerpts from JOSHUA and the Promised Land
War
Conquest, Peasant Revolt, and Immigration
Theology of Land

Have you ever experienced anything like a call from God?
Have you ever felt like saying "Give me a break, God?"
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Joshua (which means "savior" and in Greek is "Jesus") is first introduced as one of the spies Moses sent to spy out the land (Numbers 14-15). Joshua and Caleb reported that the land was good, flowing with milk and honey, but the other spies reported that the cities were formidable. So the people were too afraid to obey God and enter the land. God was very angry. For a whole generation the Israelites had to wander in the wilderness. Now once again the people are on the boundary of freedom and fullness -- at the banks of the Jordan River. God calls Joshua, as God called Moses, to be a leader for God's people. God says, "Arise! Cross!"

The call includes:

Description of the task: Arise and cross the Jordan into the land.

Assurance of divine presence and assistance: I will be with you; I will not fail you.

Encouragement: Be strong and courageous.

God calls persons and communities to special service. A challenge is to discern what that call might be. In this story the original audience was invited to identify with Joshua and to listen to God speaking to him privately, quietly, confidently.

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Where are your holy places?
What things set them apart as special for you?
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Sometimes they are in nature

Sometimes they are in churches

Sometimes they are in your home

For the people who first told and heard this story, "the land" was a specific place -- sacred, special, and seeded with principles of justice. "The land" was an expression of covenant -- a gift of a holy place from God in exchange for the promise of service. The land meant:

Safety, peace, economic prosperity

Identity as a community, a sense of belonging

Right relationship with God

There are many today who understand also their land this way:

 

* These links jump to several outside sites for further information on land issues and organizations working with marginalized persons. Links do not constitute an endorsement by the Women's Division of the information on other web sites. These links expose United Methodist Women to diverse perspectives; afford us an opportunity to compare them to United Methodist positions; and, encourage United Methodist Women to critically analyze the issues raised by the Joshua web pages

 

Indigenous people seeking to protect their land

Indigenous Environmental Network* is a grassroots alliance to help indigenous nations and their people to stand up against local and multinational corporations and any national policy action that contaminates the land, water, or air of indigenous people and their territories.

People working to save the environment

Americans for the Environment (AFE)* an organization that is a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to helping citizen activists use the political process to solve environmental problems. AFE tracks environmental ballot initiatives and referenda, convenes electoral skills training workshops and seminars, and produces guides for electoral activities.

 

Charlotte Women for Environmental Justice* a group who strives to ensure that all people regardless of race, gender, or economic status are entitled to Environmental Justice. They advocate on behalf of people in North Carolina because contaminants and toxins are dumped in primarily minority and low-income population areas.

 

Women's Environment and Development Organization* a group that believes women must have an equal say in decision-making on environment, development, population, reproductive rights, technology, political participation and other issues affecting their lives, their families and the future of the planet, and healthy communities to make a healthy planet.

 

Social Principles of The United Methodist Church

What do you think?
How could this story be misused?