Whose Side?

When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?”Joshua 5:13-14 ESV

I had that one friend. I think we all did. The guy who when you were playing a game with a group, would switch teams mid game depending on who was winning. All of a sudden, in the middle of everything you would have to stop and ask, "Wait, whose team are you on?"We love our teams, once we have identified with a team we will stick with it to the end. I grew up rooting for the mighty Oregon Ducks when they couldn't buy a touchdown. I never wavered as a fan. The payoff is when the team started succeeding, I could say I had been there the whole time. Never would I ever have dreamed of rooting for the orange and black of Oregon State just an hour up the road. In a million years there was no chance I would support the purple and gold abomination from Seattle.This plays out in politics, families, work, and even church. When we feel teams are being formed, we will figure out our side. Once we have cemented that position it takes an act of God to move us. This is why the healthiest marriages view themselves on the same team. It's not him against her, it's them together for one another. The healthiest churches and businesses are ones were the various members have come around a common vision and agreed to put aside the squabbles for the sake of a bigger call.Joshua is preparing to lead the nation of Israel into the promised land. The angel of the Lord appears to him in the night and Joshua asks a fairly normal question when one finds a terrifying  and well armed soldier in the night, "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?" In other words, "Whose side are you on?"Honestly, I've had times when I've wanted to ask God the same question.God's answer is so important for our communities so build on teams and tribes. "No"God's answer to his team? I'm on my team.Joshua's response is so helpful for me. Instead of continuing to get God to commit to one team or the other he asks a wise question. "What does my Lord say to his servant?" He makes the better choice. Instead of getting God onto his side, he gets on God's side. What God is doing, and where God is leading, that is where he wants to be.I've watched families, churches, and friends break apart over sides. Often all claiming to have God on "their" side. I've spent time with friends on both sides of our political divide who love Jesus and are glad he's on "their" side.Today, I renew my hearts commitment to be like Joshua. I want to be on God's side. That may put me at odds with someone (but I can remember I am not opposed to them, Ephesians 6), it may unify me with unexpected allies, and it certainly will surprise me. Whose side are you on?By His Grace, For His Glory,Shaun