What makes the difference between a warrior and a worrier? Keeping your eye on the Commander.
It was President Abraham Lincoln, in the midst of the U.S. Civil War, who said, “My concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” This was the lesson Joshua learned as he walked near the walled city of Jericho, no doubt examining the challenge that lay before them. Suddenly a Man appeared, sword drawn. Clearly Joshua was a man of real courage. I think most of us would have headed back to the encampment posthaste. Instead, “Joshua went to Him and said to Him, ‘Are You for us or for our adversaries?’” (Jos 5:13). “No,” came the answer. No? Essentially the Lord replied, I’m not on anyone’s side. You’re on My side, Joshua. “As Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come” (Jos 5:14). What a relief, in the struggles of life, when we hear Him say, “The battle is not yours, but God’s” (2 Chron 20:15). Or “The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace” (Ex 14:14). Or in case you think I may be misapplying these verses for Christians today: “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ” (2 Cor 2:14). And this: “If God is for us, who can be against us?…In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom 8:31, 37). The Person he met was clearly the ultimate Joshua. No mere angel would accept worship, saying the ground He occupied (by cursed Jericho!) was holy. And who else would be “Commander of the army of Jehovah”? The New Testament makes it clear: “No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (Jn 1:18). No doubt, it’s with great relief that Joshua returned to the camp—and that we should return to our battles, too!