As I was with Moses, so will I be with you (Nu. 1:5)

Wayne's reflections:
While reflecting on God's charge to Joshua to lead Israel into the promised land, I found myself asking the question: Why would God entrust himself to Joshua? It is because he has shown himself trustworthy to God. Joshua was faithful with the many smaller assignments and could therefore be faithful to the bigger things. Joshua's faith had stood the test on many occasions. For example, what made Joshua and Caleb stand up against his peers when they instigated the people to rebellion after returning from spying the Promised Land? All 12 tribal leaders had shown leadership in the past but here when the rubber met the road, 10 cracked up under the pressure of the task at hand. Did these 10 have a form of spirituality but without the commitment and follow through? Why did they have more faith in the giants than faith in the Lord? Was their leadership all show and no go? God reveals the answer to these questions in Numbers 14:24 "But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly."

Like Joshua, I also find myself over my head wondering if my level of faith matches my assignment at hand. Like Joshua I am also feeling fearful and feel my faith shrinking as I compare it to the size of obedience required for the task at hand. And God says the same thing to me as he said to Joshua  "...be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn to the right or the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night so you may be careful to do everything written in it. Do not be terrified and discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go" (Jos. 1:7-8). As Joshua followed God wholeheartedly up until this point, today was just another step in his lifelong commitment to follow God. The big steps of faith is always made up of many little steps. God entrusts himself to us in greater measure with each step where we entrust ourselves to the present task he has assigned to us.

The Spirituality of Jogging

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come (Apostle Paul's first letter to Timothy 4:8).

While I have held to Paul's instruction to Timothy 4:8 for prioritizing spiritual disciplines over physical exercise for as long as I can remember, a recent invitation to a morning jog from a friend has transformed my understanding of the interrelationship between body and spirit. As I started the discipline of early morning jogging 3x/week, I began to notice reduced stress, anxiety, muscular tension and at the same time being more mentally and emotionally present during the day. Now, physical training has some value for me in that "...when I beat my body and make it my slave" (1 Cor. 9:27) the release of endorphins does energize me so I can love God with my whole being, mind, heart and strength. It is true that my body is weak and fallen (Ps. 51:5). However, I now have come to believe that I can follow Jesus more closely when He has more of me to work with. I am praying that my weekly physical training will help me stay spiritually fit over the long haul.  (by Wayne)