Voice: Li Huan
Today is Friday, 29th of May. Let’s take a moment to be still before the Lord.
Psalm 142:
With my voice I cry out to the Lord;
with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord.
2 I pour out my complaint before him;
I tell my trouble before him.
3 When my spirit faints within me,
you know my way!
In the path where I walk
they have hidden a trap for me.
4 Look to the right and see:
there is none who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
no one cares for my soul.
5 I cry to you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
6 Attend to my cry,
for I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me!
7 Bring me out of prison,
that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me,
for you will deal bountifully with me.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as It was in the beginning, is
now, and shall be forever. Amen.
Joshua 5
10While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. 11And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. 12And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
13When 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?” 14And 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?” 15And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
This is the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
“Take off your sandals.”
Who is the leader — the captain — of your life?
Even if we have achieved much in life, deep within each of us remains a longing to be led well. Left to ourselves, we cannot carry everything alone. Life can be turbulent and unpredictable. The responsibilities placed before us can feel overwhelming.
Book of Joshua finds Joshua in precisely such a season. He was preparing to lead Israel into battle after battle as they entered the promised land. Humanly speaking, the task was impossible.
It was at this moment that Joshua received a vision of the Commander of the Lord’s army — a divine warrior standing before him with drawn sword.
What an encouraging revelation.
Joshua’s own army and resources were not all there was. There was a greater army at work — the Lord’s army, fighting on his behalf. This army had no need of earthly weapons such as spears, arrows, horses, or chariots. The battle ultimately belonged to God.
So how should Joshua respond?
Should he rally the troops? Strengthen his defenses? Put on his armour and prepare for war?
Surprisingly, the Lord said to him:
“Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.”
— Joshua 5:15
Before strategy came worship.
Before battle came reverence.
Joshua was called first to recognise the presence of God and to bow before Him.
Perhaps that is the invitation for us as well.
Whatever situation you are facing today — in your home, your workplace, your classroom, or your ministry — will you do likewise?
“Take off your sandals.”
Not because the place itself is sacred like a church sanctuary.
But because the Lord is present there with you.
And where the Lord is present, the ground becomes holy.
He is with you.
He goes before you.
And He fights for you.
We end with the collect for Pentecost Sunday:
God, who as at this time taught the hearts of your faithful people
by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit:
grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgement
in all things and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort;
through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Join in to worship the Lord in these familiar songs:
We are standing on holy ground
And I know that there are angels
All around
Let us praise Jesus now
We are standing in his presence
On holy ground
This is holy ground
We’re standing on holy ground
For the Lord is present
And where He is is holy
This is holy ground
We’re standing on holy ground
For the Lord is present
And where He is is holy
Daily Devotion 
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