I didn’t make a public announcement if you count a post on social media account as public that I am studying theology. It is a lot of work. I am taking Old Testament class, and it sounds like we are going to cover the whole Hebrew Bible by Christmas. One of the assigements is to do reflection writine piece on reading of the scipture. I thought if I think about posting these writings, it would motivate me more to write. So here it goes

Joshua 23–24

The ending of Joshua’s life is also as moving as the one of Moses. The life of Joshua echoes the life of Moses; they are like concentric circles (an image that was given by an author (Min-ah Cho) in a reading for Contemplative Listening class). God cannot be fully grasped, but through patterns of God’s involvement with humans through generations a few consistent themes emerge.

In today’s reading I am struck by the one message that has been repeatedly presented to Israel people: “Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness” and no other gods before God. That is it! God’s expectation for people comes down to this one thing in the first books of the holy scripture: Love God by honoring God’s words.

Keep God’s commandment and receive your portion of the promised land; serve other gods and don’t get the land. How does this apply to modern-day Christians who are reading this book? Would they see the person of Jesus as a promised land?

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It is darn difficult to stay focused on anything these days. If we consider our attention as service or devotion, which is not a far-fetched idea in this day and age where our attention is quantified and commodified, we are tempted every minute to offer our attention, our devotion, to other things that take us away from focusing on the thing we are determined to devote ourselves to.

Perhaps setting our mind on the reward that we would receive if we keep our attention on the Divine being who first reached out to us may help us to stay on the path.

In John 14, Jesus says: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” (v. 27)

Peace… Peace for an individual, peace for a family, peace for a community, peace for the nation, peace for the whole earth is not taken for granted these days.