Joshua 22.21-23.16; Luke 20.27-47; Psalm 89.14-37; Proverbs 13.17-19

Being separated from the people you love, the people who have shaped you, can lead to memory loss, at least that’s what the tribes on the eastern side of the Jordan River understand. They build an altar–not to sacrifice to a god of their creation–but to remind them and the people on the western side of the Jordan of their place in the tribes of Israel. It seems like a logical step, providing something that ties them back to their heritage. What do we have that reminds us of our own faith story and that of those who have brought us to this point?

Questions:

Joshua tells the people not to follow other gods. Based on what you know about their story, how well did they heed this advice? What could have helped them do this better?

How does your perception of God change when you recognize God is the God of the living, not of dead people and events of the past?

What does a life that has righteousness and justice as its foundation look like?

Hearing criticism is hard, but not doing so, the proverb writer says, leads to poverty and disgrace. How have you seen this to be true?