This is very good.
----- Original Message -----
From: O.Addison Gethers
To: Deaf-blind inspirational life groups ; Resting place groups ; bsfm groups
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 8:00 AM
Subject: {dbilg} devotional and prayer from Sharon Sanderson Feb.19
Thursday
February 19, 2009
JUST WALK
Jericho was bolted and barred shut because the people were afraid of the
Israelites. No one could enter or leave.
The LORD said to Joshua, "I am about to hand Jericho, its king, and its
warriors over to you. All the soldiers will march around the city once a day for
six days. Seven priests will carry rams' horns ahead of the ark. But on the
seventh day you must march around the city seven times while the priests blow
their horns. When you hear a long blast on the horn, all the troops must
shout very loudly. The wall around the city will collapse. Then the troops must
charge straight ahead into the city."
Joshua, son of Nun, summoned the priests. He said to them, "Pick up the ark
of the promise, and have seven priests carry seven rams' horns ahead of the
LORD's ark."
He told the troops, "March around the city. Let the armed men march ahead of
the LORD's ark."
Joshua 6:1-7
Okay, these folks had heard about what God had done for the Israelites. Now
instead of having reverent fear of God and allowing that to create a hunger
to know Him, they feared the Israelites. Their eyes were not on God, their
eyes were on people. Ouch! Knowing humanity, by the seventh day they were
hissing
at them and their fear turned to laughter. Yet, Joshua and his crew could not
look at the people; they had to keep their eyes on God and His Presence through
the Arc of the Covenant.
Jericho was a fortified city; a walled city. In ancient warfare such cities
were surrounded and the people then starved into submission, or they were taken
by assault. Attackers might try to weaken the stone walls with fire or by
tunneling, or they might simply heap up a mountain of earth to serve as a ramp.
Each of these methods of assault took weeks or months, and the attacking
force usually suffered heavy losses. However, these people shut themselves
inside
and stationed guards to watch out for the Israelites. They were totally
afraid, yet they felt safe inside their little kingdom. Does that sound like us
sometimes? Do we wall ourselves in our little comfort zones? I think so.
God's command to Joshua - to have the people march silently around Jericho
for six days, and then after seven circuits on the seventh day to shout - was
strange indeed. Yet Joshua followed His instructions to the letter. When the
people did finally shout, the massive fortifications crumbled, and Israel
won an easy victory. The victory at Jericho was orchestrated to teach several
lessons. Most important was that obedience, even when God's commands seem
foolish, brings victory. The miraculous victory also confirmed Joshua's
leadership. And it showed that God would surely fight for Israel in the battles
ahead.
Over and over God placed these people and/or their ancestors in a position
where only God could deliver them; now they were finally one; there is no
evidence
of a protest against Joshua's word from the Lord. They simply obeyed. I
cannot stress the importance of obedience to God. Through our obedience God will
often reveal a new truth about Himself and His power in our lives. Having
stood face to face with Jesus Joshua's only choice was to worship Him through
the act of obedience and walk by faith.
We all need a Jericho at times. But Jericho victories are won only when
obedience is complete. Joshua probably had a plan for Jericho until he met the
Lord
and the Lord gave him a plan. Can you imagine the look of shock on the faces
of his followers when he shared the plan with them? I can almost hear them
saying, "Now, wait. We've never done it this way before." Are those words
familiar to you?
Father, I know that You have not changed. You keep revealing truths to us,
but You do not change. You change us, but You do not change. Forgive me for
questioning
Your strategies in my life. If you want me to walk - I'll walk. If you want
me to wait - I'll wait. Help me as I face my Jericho to trust You to deliver
me.
*******************************************
O. Addison Gethers
e-mail address : [email protected] or [email protected]
window live messenger: [email protected] aim: durangoadd64 skype:
cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS
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