Boundary Crossings

More than 3,000 years ago a group of weary travelers were poised to make significant boundary crossing – from a long and at times dangerous wilderness existence to a life in a land that held promise and hope. No one who had begun the original journey from Egypt, except two – Joshua and Caleb – would make the crossing. Even their leader, Moses, well loved and revered, special prophet of God would not be allowed to enter this new land of promise.

In the book of Joshua, there are a variety of boundary crossings; both physical and communal. First is the transfer of leadership – from Moses who brought the people out of exile – to Joshua, son of Nun who had, until this point been Moses’ assistant.

As we each know, transfer of leadership – sometimes also referred to as the transfer of power, is not always easily accomplished. Tensions mount on all sides as groups vie for the thought of that very power. Will every one follow the new regime, will the old covenants and promises be upheld or will new negotiations need to take place?

As we enter the time in our country where leadership is transferred from one president to another – it is a timely question to ask and reflect on boundary crossings that involve leadership. Joshua’s leadership is defined from the model set and practiced by Moses. As you read the first chapter of Joshua, this is abundantly clear. Listen for a moment to the first three verses:

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying, 2“My servant Moses is dead. Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites. 3Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses.

Four times in three verses the narrator refers to Moses; only once is mention made of Joshua. But, even more important is the understanding of what God expects out of God’s people. Joshua and the people are called to live under the law of Moses, it is only through obedience to God and following the law that the people are able to enter the land of promise.

Other words garner our attention in this book of promise and conquest. Twenty-three times the phrase “crossing over” is used. And it is inextricably tied as well to the Hebrew word that is translated as “standing still.”

How is it that we cross boundaries and yet stand still?

For the book of Joshua, it has to do with God’s steadfast love for God’s people and the steadfastness of the priests, the leaders and the people and their faithfulness to God’s covenant.

This covenant calls for the people to act with justice; to remember that once they were slaves and that is was God’s hand that brought them out of Egypt. To remember when they are in the land that God has promised them that they shall love the stranger for they were once strangers in the land of Egypt, this love is exhibited in acts of justice for the orphan and the widow and the stranger.

Remember it was Rahab (dare I remind you that she was…how shall I say? A harlot?) who as an outsider, a woman, a foreigner, because a member of God’s people during the conquest of Jericho?

As the years pass, the prophets, continually remind the people, first as the Northern Kingdom falls and then as the temple is destroyed and the southern kingdom falls…that they are not remembering all that God has required of them? Micah reminds the people in words that many of us can recite today…what does the Lord require of us? To do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God.

On Tuesday, as a nation, we will make a boundary crossing as Barak Obama, is inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States. And yet, just as during the time of Joshua we will, at the same time stand still by holding steadfast our beginnings. He will recite those same words that each president before him as recited:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

Let us pray that as we cross boundaries on Tuesday that we continue to hold steadfast to what originally brought us into being as a nation…the establishment of justice, welfare and the blessings of liberty to all who are seeking a better way to live.

InJoy,
Suzy