CHURCH GOERS
Today's reading: Joshua 21-24

A quick summation of events: The tribes of Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh found the land on the un-Canaan side of the Jordan River much to their liking. They sought God's favor in asking for it and received His blessing--on one condition: The tribes had to help the Canaan-bound Israelites conquer and secure the Promised Land. They agreed. They did. They were blessed by God and by Joshua when the battles were over and peace reigned, then sent on their way to their homes.

Then comes this verse. It occurs as they ready themselves to cross the Jordan River. The returning soldiers decide to build an altar to God--not to worship, but to remind. Trouble is sparked. Rumors run rampant. Assumptions are made. The high council of priests scurry to the scene--desiring to get down to the bottom of this sacrilege, to 'nip in the bud' this nonsense of idol worship.

"We have built this altar because we fear that in the future your descendants will say to ours, What right do you have to worship the Lord, the God of Israel?" Joshua 22:24 NLT

Could it be the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh could foretell the future? Surely no one would ever forget their part in the conquering of Canaan? Their bloodlines going all the way back to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Their participation in the forty-year trek? Their stand and oath and vow to worship the Lord God of Israel, and only the Lord God of Israel?

The pile of rocks put together and argued over that day wasn't for the non-Canaan residents--it was for the 'church going folks' residing in the Promised Land!

Nothing's changed from that day to this. We, the church, are becoming very critical. Fault-finding. Judgemental.

We guage one's privilege of being a part of the church by such things as heritage, worship-style, fashion sense--and dare I say it, social class. We sequester our godly selves into our comfortable and cloned cliques--allowing no one to enter, no one to leave. We train our kids to play with a certain number of church-kids. We participate only in projects, ministries and outreach opportunities organized by certain member of our houses of worship.

Might I ask a simple question: Isn't that what the pile of rocks was to prevent?

Who are any of us? What right do any of us have to worship God? How dare one of us declare ourselves worthy coming before Him?

I'm not so sure we all, at our individual churches, need a pile of rocks to step around as we go into God's house to worship!