[A Meditation on One Verse]

(Joshua 9:2) “…they gathered together to wage war against Joshua and Israel with one accord.”

All the kings west of the Jordan hear the news about Israel. And they gather together “with one accord to wage war against… Israel.” Why?

Because the land was the home they had lived in for generations, and therefore, they were the masters of the land—or so they thought. So, from a worldly perspective, their reaction was perfectly natural and reasonable. It was, after all, their land.

But God’s thoughts were different. God had long ago proclaimed to Abraham that the land belonged to Israel, and now He was faithfully fulfilling that promise. The changing of masters—this ‘change of lordship’ that might seem unreasonable and illogical to the eyes of the world—was, for God’s people, an act of pure grace.

In the actions of these Canaanite kings, we see a reflection of ourselves today. We think it so natural that ‘I am the master of my own life.’ We feel it is right that we should hold the reins of our time, our talents, and our plans. But the Lord says firmly:

”No. I am the Lord of your life.”

The Lord is building His kingdom within us—by driving out the old master called ‘I’ who used to reign. Surrendering the lordship of my life sometimes feels like defeat, but knowing that it is, in fact, the only path to victory and true rest, this ‘change of lordship’ is actually grace itself.

And so, we begin the day with this prayer:

”Lord, today, help me to know who the Lord of my life is, so that I may enjoy true peace.”

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(Daily Reading)

– Joshua 9:1-17