What are your marching orders for today?
If you serve in the Armed Forces (thank you), that phrase means something completely different to those of us who don’t, those of us who aren’t worried about being shot at today. According to many online dictionaries, the phrase has two meanings. I’ll elaborate on both.
If you make a to-do list, refer to Things or another app, carry a Franklin-Covey planner, or subscribe to the “One Thing” theory, you probably remind yourself of your marching orders every morning. You ask yourself, like I do, “What am I supposed to do today?” Before you read any further, take a minute and think about that question. What are your marching orders for today? Get them firmly in your mind.
Now, let’s answer another question before we read any further. What obstacles are in your way today? What might keep you from reaching your objectives?
In Deuteronomy 20, Moses is the messenger from God Almighty to the nation of Israel. He gives them their marching orders.
“When you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. And when you draw near to the battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the people and shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel, today you are drawing near for battle against your enemies: let not your heart faint. Do not fear or panic or be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.'”
This passage fascinates me because of what Moses does not say. The book of Deuteronomy is full of specifics of which meats they were allowed and not allowed to eat, the exact way to prepare sacrifices, and an amazing array of detailed prohibitions and instructions. The Lord does not instruct the warriors of the nation of Israel on how to thrust a spear, parry a sword blow, or lace up boots. All the Lord says is, “When you see your enemy and their weapons and war machines, don’t freak out.” The phrase is, “You shall not be afraid.” It’s as if He is saying, “You shall eat your Wheaties” or “You shall not wear neon orange.” He is matter of fact.
And just in case the warriors don’t get it, once they get closer to the fight, close enough to see the whites of their eyes and hear the whizzing of arrows and the crunching of rocks under the wheels of chariots, the priests will gather them in a huddle and say, “Don’t faint. Don’t panic. Don’t be afraid.”
The reason not to fear is clear both in Moses’s executive statement and in the priests’ battle line reminder: for the Lord your God is with you.
There are hundreds of places throughout scripture where the Lord and His emissaries say, “Don’t freak out.” We get it with two barrels in this passage.
There are two definitions for marching orders. One is, “What am I supposed to do today?” The other is a colloquialism. It’s code for getting fired, canned, shafted, bangalored, tubed, eighty-sixed, shown the door, escorted out by security, booted, pink-slipped, or dismissed. Listen to the next few verses after Moses’s marching orders about fear.
“Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying, ‘Is there any man who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another dedicated it. And is there any man who has planted a vineyard and has not enjoyed its fruit? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man enjoy its fruit. And is there any man who has betrothed a wife and has not taken her? Let him go back to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man take her.’ And the officers shall speak further to the people, and say, ‘Is there any man who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go back to his house, lest he make the heart of his fellows melt like his own.’ And when the officers have finished speaking to the people, then commanders shall be appointed at the head of the people.”
It took me a couple of times to see it. Moses is saying, “Okay, warriors, don’t be afraid. It’s going to be be tough out there but don’t freak out. God will be with you. In case you forget, I’m sending the chaplains out to the front lines with you to tell you again. However, if you are already freaking out, get off the line. Go back to camp. Some of you are worried about your possessions and mortgages. Some of you are worried about the jobs you left behind. Some of you are worried about your wives. If any of you are afraid of these things—or anything else for that matter—get out of here. Go home. Your fear will be like a poison among the troops on the front line.”
Imagine what that might have looked like. Guys might have stepped aside, hung their heads, and walked away. Moses was thinning the ranks for the sake of the mission of God. He was willing to have only a few good and brave men as opposed to a much larger group of warm bodies. He was giving them their “marching orders.” (It looked much different than this.)
The other curious thing about this passage is that the commanders weren’t assigned to lead their companies until after the purge. No use promoting a man to leadership if he’s going to cower or have his mind distracted and elsewhere.
How does that pertain to us in 21st century modern society? Think back to your to-do list and the obstacles you are concerned about today. God’s command given through Moses applies to us—man, woman, boy, girl—right now.
“When you hug your kids good morning, start your work day, sit down in your school desk, climb behind the wheel of your 18-wheeler, or start up your computer, don’t be afraid. Trust in God. Trust that God will be with you today and that He is bigger than all of the obstacles you’re worried about. Trust Him with your family. Trust Him with your possessions. Trust Him with the task at hand. Be of good cheer and don’t freak out. And if you are already freaking out, He is with you. Let me say it one more time, don’t be afraid.”
I know what a couple of you are thinking. “Hey, wait a minute, Whit! Where’s the ‘go back to camp’ directive in your modernization?”
I’m glad you asked.
Here in our modern 21st century existence, God is with us. His Holy Spirit indwells those who follow Him. In the beginning of the gospel of John, the apostle is helping us see all sides of the God we serve. He says,
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John wrote in a foreign language, not English. In the earliest translation of this passage the phrase “dwelt among us” would be better rendered, “pitched His tent in our family’s compound.” The people living at the time of John’s writing lived in family units. In our 21st century existence, John might say it this way, “and kicked you out of the master bedroom when He moved into your house.”
When you are afraid, you don’t have a camp to go back to. The camp is with you. God’s tent is pitched with yours. He is living in your house.
So, don’t be afraid. If you are, trust Him with your fear. He’s with you. He’s right beside you with grace and truth.