The new start (3)

For someone who had grown up in a desert, who had only been eating quails and wotsit's (well that's what we called it, manna, a flat wafer type thing that was on the ground every morning except on the Sabbath) this journey through a dried up river bed was a great adventure.

I mean here we are on the other side of the Jordan river, something that I had always heard about. Even though my parents generation had not been able to see this they were at least faithful in keeping the promise alive, for that I am truly grateful, but what I was beginning to realise is that this new experience, this new adventure was going to change my life, I didn't know how, or to what extent, but I knew it would have to be different.

Well the first major change and challenge came when Joshua, our leader called all of us men together and explained that as a group of people we were on the brink of something new and wonderful and that if we were to succeed in our God given mission then we needed to demonstrate that we were dedicated to our God by reinstituting the act of circumcision, well we went pale, I can tell you. But the amazing thing is we ALL agreed to it.

Joshua reminded us of what our previous leader, Moses, had said in Deuteronomy 30:6 that God wanted us to be circumcised in our hearts, a state of realisation that we were dedicated to serve and follow Jehovah, come what may and that this physical act was an outward  demonstration of our commitment to Him. What we realised and all subscribed to was that this circumcision was not some act or ritual but something that was meaningful. Of course it made no sense when all the fortified towns around us were gearing up to protect themselves from our attacks. Actually, as a side we witnessed another miracle because it appeared that all the inhabitants of these settlements were "shut in". If I was going to attack I would attack when my enemy was at their most vulnerable, and boy, were we vulnerable, every fighting male laid up because Joshua had chosen to wound us, it didn't make any sense, but then as I grew older and wiser in my understanding of this great God Jehovah I realised that nothing ever does. Jehovah's ways are not man's way.

As we had come out of the river Jordan on the 10th day of the 1st month the passover lamb was selected. Of course, as a herdsman/shepherd you knew your stock so we had some idea as too which lamb or kid we were going to select. The poor things, they were lambs led to the slaughter across the great divide we called Jordan. Nevertheless this was something we needed to do. Joshua insisted that we remember all that God had done for us, bringing us out of Egypt, away from bondage and slavery where our worth was measured by how many bricks we could produce, bringing us out of another desperate existence, a wilderness where we watched helplessly while our beloved parents perished, never to realise true freedom. Keeping this passover celebration was extremely important for us. It was a clear declaration of gratitude to God. What I learnt in that moment of utter weakness was that our God Jehovah first wants worshippers before He wants workers.

Even though I was in pain, in hind sight I am so glad. I followed Joshua, "Jehovah my Salvation".  What I would see next just confirmed in my heart that God, my God, our God was truly our salvation.