A Team Of Joshuas

If you have spent any time listening to me talk about the Bible, you may know that the story of Caleb from the Old Testament is my favorite. Caleb is 1 of 12 spies that go into the promised land, they come back with huge fruit and the word of how incredible this place actually is. God has shown up! He and Joshua are the only 2 who choose to trust God, and say this is our land! The other 10 weenies are scared and choose to stay out in the desert for 40 years.
Caleb is faithful, and eventually takes the hill country of the promised land at 80. What a boss.
But what’s going on with Joshua?
Joshua has been a servant to Moses since his youth. And he followed him around, doing whatever thing needed to be done. There is a special quality about Joshua though; he hangs around when the light show fades.
In Exodus 33, Moses goes into the tent of meeting to talk to God like one speaks to a friend. The pillar of cloud would come hang out there, and the Israelites would worship from afar. As Moses left the tent to go talk to the people, Joshua… doesn’t. He stays at the tent of meeting. Assuming the pillar of cloud has risen again from the tent, what is Joshua doing in there?
Joshua finds himself so hungry for the presence of God that staying in the space where His spirit was moments ago feels filling too. Like licking your plate clean, or staying in a lingering hug, or spending an extra minute after a phone call just absorbing the residuals of that moment; Joshua sought the Lord this way.
If you’ve read the book, you know that it is Joshua that ends up leading the people out of the desert. The boy who lingered in the presence of the Lord. And guys, I have to tell you, I have a team of Joshuas.

Last week, we had a night of worship and prayer. Although we have so many musicians, we decided to use track worship, so everyone can just pray in that space. After about an hour of worship, of a room filled with great singing and crying out to God, we had to stop the music. It’s quiet hours here, and we must respect our hosts and their young son’s bedtime. We turned on the lights, turned off the music, and something incredible happened. The room stayed.
With no music, with no cover of lights off. People worshiped. Hands lifted, prayers quietly coming from their mouths. They laid hands on each other and prayed for deliverance and healing from wounds this world so easily leaves in us. This team wanted to stay in the residual of the presence of the Lord, just like Joshua.
Now, I can’t lie. It’s easy for me to say it was for this reason or that reason, cool night, the end. But last night, we gathered again for corporate worship. This time several of our students sang, with instruments, leading us in a time of music and singing to God. And when the set was over, it happened again.
Sobs ringing out from the corner as our team surrounded their classmate in prayer. Worship happening as if the music was still playing. No judgement, no concern of how they looked, just a lingering in the presence of God. I laughed and cried. How great an honor it is to serve this team. These students, who are teaching me just as much, if not more than I am teaching them.
People like to think that Gen Z is done with God. Maybe you feel cranky like Moses. But I have some fantastic news from here in Albania. There is a generation of Joshuas ready to lead God’s people into the promised land. If you think you can’t find them- I’d encourage you to check by the tent. While the world chose to move on, busy for their coffees and tv shows, this generation is choosing to linger in the presence of the Lord.
What a fantastic honor and blessing. My team of Joshuas.

Thank you for everyone who has helped me get here. Continue to pray that we grow in leadership. We have many youth coming to services, pray that God reveals Himself through our Joshuas, and pray for your home too. That we stop looking at this generation as lost and lazy, because so many of them are sitting in the tent, soaking up what we forgot to.

God bless you guys.
Amanda