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"Football is not a matter of life and death, it is more important than that."

Bill Shankly, Liverpool Football manager

Covenant renewed

Imagine you are watching Joshua as a war movie*. We have had the triumph at Jericho, the reversal at Ai followed by the dramatic execution of Achan and then the clever strategy of Joshua leading to victory at Ai and now the scene changes to…a worship service. It is a reminder that for the writer Joshua is not primarily about a military campaign or conquering territory but about Israel’s relationship with God. Thus, for the people to renew their covenant with God was an entirely appropriate thing to do. For the writer, theclimax of the events of chapters 7 and 8 which record the military victory over Ai was the ceremony where Israel start their new life in the land, showing that trouble could be replaced by hope for every generation.

Joshua was not only reminding the Israelites of the true nature of the conquest but calling them publicly to renew their covenant with God and to accept the conditions that the covenant entailed. Some churches have a covenant service at the beginning of the year. That can help, encourage and challenge us. For Israel renewing the covenant shortly after Achan’s covenant violation (7:11) added poignancy. Israel had learned the hard way not to take God’s presence for granted. The burnt offering which was wholly consumed was a symbol of the people giving their whole selves to God, just as Paul wrote that we should do. We can also see the burnt offering prefiguring the death of Jesus which deals with sin and re-establishes the covenant relationship between us and God.

I always think that Paul’s words in Romans 12:1 “I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship” are especially pertinent for us as sportspeople, because our body is an essential tool of the trade.

Question to ponder: In a society that encourages self-reliance, humility is counter-intuitive. How do we learn to recognize and be grateful for God’s grace and mercy?

*The movie idea is from Dale Davis,

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