Welcome to 2022: Roll Back then Move Forward

Okay Joshua 5, I see you and yep, Charles Spurgeon was right. You’re a good one to read on the brink of a brand new year. And, while I should be brimming with hope at the prospect of all that this new year will yield (tebuah) and the fact that we don’t have to dine on yesteryear’s leftovers when brand new fruit is before us (vs. 12), I’m still settling into verse 9.

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Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you." So the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.”

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Maybe your 2021 was just the.best.ever. Or, like a lot of people, maybe it just plain wasn’t. Before Israel could taste the fruit, God had to roll back the reproach. The scorn. The shame of slavery and struggle of wilderness. There’s always a lot to walk back in my life. A lot that needs rolling away. And part of the shame is when God has to roll anything for a second or third time…like Israel, I don’t always learn enough the first trek. Just because the clock struck 12 doesn’t mean it magically disappeared. It may be deep into 22 before anything is close to worked out and walked back. I’m excited about the fruit, but recognize that God is busy rolling back some reproach.

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Interesting tidbit, before verse 9 came verses 1-8. Handle those verses with care. It’s all about Israel needing to be re-circumcised. Not those who had been under the literal knife before (spoiler alert…they died). It was those who hadn’t had the pleasure…nay…experienced the pain. Moving on to the figurative…the circumcision was the sign of covenant. God wasn’t about to roll back the reproach or roll out the buffet for just anyone. There was a moment of covenant renewal first.

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So, hey there 2022. I’m ready for some fruit. Lay on the blessing. Show us your yield already. But, I get it. There’s a covenant renewal that needs to come first. And the removal of any shame associated with 2021 before we can, full steam ahead…eyes only on you…completely enjoy what’s to come. So,

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1. Renew the commitment ✅

2. Roll back the shame (working thru it)

3. Relish the yield: Tebuah (can’t wait)