16Then the people answered, ˝...

16Then the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods!

17It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled.

18And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God."

- P150

19Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins.

- P150

14
"Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. - P150

23"Now then," said Joshua, "throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel."

24And the people said to Joshua, "We will serve the Lord our God and obey him."
- P151

Joshua urges Israel to fear and serve the Lord. He challenges them to choosewhom they will serve and declares that he and his household will serve theLord. The people respond that they will serve the Lord, recalling His deliver-ance and protection. Joshua warns of the consequences of forsaking the Lord,
and the people affirm their commitment to serve Him. - P151

As Joshua continues his final speech to the tribes of Israel, he reaffirms the people’s covenant with God and calls them to choose whom they will serve: God or the competing idols in the region. Joshua understands the temptations they face, but regardless of what each person decides, Joshua proclaims that he and his family will serve the one true God who has been faithful to Israel since the very beginning. - P152

Like Joshua, let our households set the example for others in choosing the Lord, faithfully serving the One who has been faithful to us. - P152

May we remember how God saved each of us and remain committed to Him, refusing to abandon the One who will never abandon us. - P152

As Joshua speaks with the people about their commitment to God, hemakes a shocking statement: Israel is not able to serve God, and He willnot forgive their rebellion and sins. At first glance, this negative declarationseems to contradict Joshua‘sa few versesing God solely by their owonate call to the people justprior. However, the message is clear: The Israelites are not capable of obey-will, and they will not be forgiven when theyallow their sins to persist and grow.  - P152

We are blessed because we can seek thedivine grace of forgiveness that is extended through the righteousness ofChrist. Let us recognize the holiness and jealousy of God, and repent of ourhabitual sins, determined to tolerate them no more. - P152

Heavenly Father, You are holy and rightfully jealous as no idol is worthy of competing with You for my love. I now reject all idols and repent of my persistent sins. I desire to live in Your holiness. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P153

[오늘의 한문장] 히브리 성서를 열다

그는 금송아지 형상 두 개를 만들어 하나는 벧엘에,
하나는 단의 성소에 두고 "이스라엘아, 이는 너희를 애굽 땅에서 인도하여 올린 너희의 신들이라" 12:28고 선언했다. 여로보암은 이 금송아지를 예배 대상이 아니라, 예루살렘 성전 뜰에 설치된 거대한 청동
‘바다‘를 받치고 있던 청동 황소처럼 신성한 힘의 상징으로 생각했을가능성이 높다. 그러나 예루살렘 성전만이 유일한 합법적 제사 장소라는 확고한 신념을 가진 신명기 역사가들은 그를 인정하지 않았다.
그들의 평가에 따르면 여로보암은 모든 왕실 우상숭배의 원흉이며,
그의 우상숭배는 결국 약 2세기 후 북왕국의 멸망을 초래했다. 따라서 유다에서 온 하나님의 사람은 왕과 그 미래에 맞선다. - P333

2Joshua said to all the peopl...

2Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods.

3But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac,

4and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his family went down to Egypt.

5"‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out.

6When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Red Sea.

7But they cried to the Lord for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.

- P146

12I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you—also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow.

13So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’

- P147

Joshua assembles all the tribes at Shechem. He recounts what the Lord didfor them: calling Abraham, leading Israel from Egypt, parting the sea, givingthem victory over their enemies, and giving them land, cities, and vineyardsthey did not labor for. Joshua emphasizes the Lord‘s faithfulness, remindingthe people of His fulfilled promises throughout their history. - P147

Israel has become a great nation, and as their leaders gather after having accomplished some amazing feats in battle, Joshua gives them a history lesson on their humble beginnings, from the days of Abraham. Israel was not born a nation; they were made into one by their God. The history of Israel is not the story of an extraordinary man and his accomplishments; it is the story of what an extraordinary God worked through ordinary people. This is not only the story of Israel; this is our story. From the beginning, our story has been the doing of our God. - P148

He knit us in the womb, and He authored our faith so that we would know Him and walk with Him. - P148

Israel‘s deliverance was nothing short of miraculous. The very hands ofGod protected them against Egypt, including at the parting of the RedSea. When they entered the promised land, the Lord gave into their handsnations greater and better equipped than they. The account recited by Josh-ua is the story of a slave who became a son. Israel is in bondage no more;they are adopted as God‘s nation, and treated as such.  - P148

Our salvation storyis nothing short of miraculous as well. While we were enemies of God, theHoly Spirit awakened our dead hearts so that we would believe in the gospelof Jesus Christ. The Father drew our hearts to Him so that faith would bebirthed. Our conversion is wholly His work. - P148

The above scenario is no exaggeration when it comes to what our God hasdone for us. In the work of our salvation, God did it all. He sent His Son todie for our sins. He then sent us the Holy Spirit to revive our dead hearts sothat we would believe in the work of the Son. The Holy Spirit then dwellsin our hearts and transforms us little by little to look more like the Son. Andwhen we fail, the same Spirit redirects our attention back to the work of theSon, giving us strength to press on. And when this race is over, we will crossthat finish line to fall into the arms of the Father who had been carryingus all along, and He will say to us, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" - P149

Father, as I consider all that I have gone through, all that is in front of me, and even my future hopes and aspirations, I see Your hand. All that I have has been from You. I thank you for Your grace and mercy in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen. - P149

감정은 옳고 그름의 문제가 아니라, 내 마음이 보내는...

감정은 옳고 그름의 문제가 아니라,
내 마음이 보내는 소중한 신호이기 때문이다. - P20

이국 UCLA의 매튜리버먼 교수의 연구에 따르면, 감정에 이름을 붙이는 것만으로도뇌의 편도체 반응이 줄고 전전두엽이 활성화된다고 한다. "나는 서운하다"라고 말하는 순간, 뇌가 감정을 정리하며 진정되기 시작한다는 것이다. - P18

나는 네 마음이 궁금하다. 네 마음이 아프다면, 그 마음을듣고 싶다. - P22

"그런데 정말 별거 아닌 일이었나요? 집사님의 마음이 아프기까지 했을 때는 이유가 있을 텐데요."
우리는 언제부터 마음을 무시하게 됐을까. 언제부터 내 감정보다 다른 사람의 기준이 더 중요해졌을까.
"작은 바늘로 매일 찌르는 것과 작은 칼로 한 번 베이는 것중 어느 게 더 아플까?"
어떤 심리학자가 던진 질문이다. 우리는 보통 칼에 베이는것이 더 아프다고 생각하지만, 실제로는 바늘로 매일 찌르는것도 큰 상처를 남긴다. 작은 상처들이 회복될 틈 없이 계속 쌓이기 때문이다. - P23

‘별거 아니다‘ 대신 ‘무엇 때문일까? 어떤 이유가 있을까?"라고 물어보라. 사소해 보이는 감정 뒤에도 중요한 메시지가 숨어 있다. 감정을 친구처럼 대하는 것도 중요하다. ‘아, 지금 내가 서운하구나. 왜 그럴까? 뭘 원하는 걸까? 이렇게 감정과 대화해보라. 감정은 적이 아니라 나를 도와주는 친구다. - P25

현주는 남편이 간단한 설거지도 안 해놓으면 속상했다. ‘절거지 정도는 별거 아니지‘라고 생각하며 참았는데, 알고 보니설거지보다 더 중요한 게 있었다. ‘남편이 나를 배려하면 좋겠다‘라는 간절한 마음이었다. 부부 사이에서 매우 중요한 욕구였던 것이다. - P26

하나님이 우리에게 감정을 주신 이유는 자신을 보호하고,
타인과 관계 맺으며, 성장하게 하기 위함이다. ‘별거 아닌 감정‘
은 없다. 작은 감정이라도 당신의 마음에서 나온 거라면 매우소중하고 의미가 있다.
하나님이 소중히 여기시는 당신의 감정을 당신 자신도 소중히 여기길 바란다. ‘이런 걸로 힘들어하면 안 되는데‘라고 자책하지 말고, ‘내 마음이 이렇게 반응하는 데는 이유가 있을 거야‘
라는 호기심을 가져보자.
당신의 감정은 하나님이 주신 선물이다. 그 감정을 소중히여기고, 그 안에서 하나님의 음성을 들어보자. 때로는 작은 감정 속에서 큰 깨달음을 얻을 수 있다. - P27

11So be very careful to love ...

11So be very careful to love the Lord your God.

12"But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them,

13then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the Lord your God has given you.

- P142

16If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you." - P143

Joshua warns Israel to be careful to love the Lord. If they turn away and allythemselves with other nations, the Lord will no longer drive these out, andthey will become snares and traps for Israel. Joshua reminds them of God‘sfulfilled promises but warns that just as blessings came, so will destruction ifthey break God‘s covenant and serve other gods. - P143

Joshua exhorts the Israelites to stay faithful to their God so that they willcontinue to enjoy His benefits. He reveals a secret to loving their God: Theymust "be careful to love the LORD" (v. 11); devotion will not be automatic.
Joshua foresees that Israel will become fascinated by the cultures of thenations they will dispossess and warns them that if they give their heartsto whatever seems fascinating and new, they will inevitably abandon their love for their God. - P144

 We live in an era where the word "love" has becomesynonymous with strong passions and feelings. But we also know that ourfeelings often sway with the trends of our fast-changing culture; they caneven change depending on the time of day. If we on our feelingsto sustain our love for God, we will see it shift like thedeweather. Love is noteffortless; to love is to make every effort in staying faithful. - P144

Dear Jesus, please fill us with Your Holy Spirit so we may love God more thanthe things of this world. Help us to joyfully obey His good commands. InYour name, amen. - P145