Joshua 23

Interstellar, directed by Christopher Nolan, is an ambitious film, brimming with audiovisual magnificence and yet not without its flaws. Some reviewers criticize Nolan's films for lacking heart, but for all of Interstellar's spectacle, at its center lies a poignant tale of the love between a father (played by Matthew McConaughey) and a daughter (played by Mackenize Foy as a child and Jessica Chastain as an adult). McConaughey and Foy in particular adroitly portray their characters at their most heart-wrenching moments of separation. But the film proves decidedly less successful in its handling of love as expressed through Anne Hathaway's character. At one point in the film, Hathaway blusters about love being quantifiable. I don't necessarily disagree or agree with the content of the speech itself, but the actress, so charming in The Princess Diaries, delivers the speech in such a patronizingly haughty manner that it makes me wonder whether Nolan actually wants us to disagree with what she's saying. Certainly, any encomium on love shouldn't sound as pissy as Hathaway's does.

Which is all to say that love is a tricky subject to discuss. I'll try not to get too mushy with this post, but love is an inherently mushy subject. I myself have lots of loves. I love reading, film music, writing, theme parks, a whole bunch of movies, long walks on the beach…. Seriously, I do love certain people as well, and I suspect they know who they are. Although I'm no expert on love (as my non-existent girlfriend will attest), I do find that love for someone can paradoxically be both natural and something that one has to put effort into maintaining.

As Joshua is making his penultimate speech, touching many of the bases you'd expect of a godly leader, he also makes an intriguing statement: "So be very careful to love the LORD your God" (verse 11)-- a thought-provoking choice of words. One does have to be careful about maintaining a loving relationship, making sure that one does not take the object of one's affections for granted. The Israelites must take care to manifest their love for God by trusting in Him and obeying His commands.

Many of Joshua's other instructions and reminders echo those of Moses half a decade or so earlier. They must remember that all their victories come from God (verse 10). So used to victory are the Israelites that they indeed might be feeling bumptious. But as Joshua reminds them, if they turn away from God, God in turn will get ticked off at them (verses 15-16). You'd think that with a column of fire following them around--and the earth opening up to swallow recalcitrants from time to time--that the Israelites would find it hard to forget God's presence among them and the ineffable magnitude of His power. But alas….