The Commander of the Army of the Lord

13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” 14 “Neither,” he replied, “but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” Joshua 5:13-14 (NIV)

Joshua was actively scouting and surveying the city of Jericho when he comes across a man with a sword and immediately asks are you for us or are you for them. The man standing before him was Jesus, the Commander of the army of the Lord. Once he realized who he was talking to he fell on his face and worshiped and asked what his Lord had for him. Jesus was not there to take sides, but there to remind Joshua that he needed to be on God's side. He wasn't going into Canaan to do his will, but to do God's will.

Football is an area where many fans believe that certain teams have divine support. No single football team is officially endorsed by God. Just like in football, Christians will ask God to take sides in a matter. They are asking the wrong question. In John 3:16-17, Jesus explains, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him." Jesus did not come into the world just for you and the people in your church. He came for every human being that is living in this world. So, the question we need to be asking is, "are we on His side or not."

As a Christian today choose God's side. Ask Jesus, "What can I do for you today?" Talk to your neighbor, your coworker, the person on the street, the person dealing with drug addiction... about Jesus. When you do so, you are telling God, "I am on your side.