Suggested Bible Reading: Joshua 5-7
Devotional Thought:
Title: “Participating with God.”
In order for the people to enter Jerico, the wall had to come down in a manner that would not form a barrier of rubble preventing the people from achieving their goal of entering the city. The pictures of the flannel graph Sunday school stories or the pictures of this marvelous event, have often times steered our imagination in the wrong direction. The emphasis is that there was not a mountain of stone after the destruction of the wall, but rather a clear path over which the people entered. I am convinced that the wall fell into the earth much like the way Korah and his rebellious followers did. “…and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.” (vs. 5) The wall would give way at the foundation so that every man could march straight into the city from the location he occupied outside the city. The implications of this were significant for Joshua. For the final assault on the city, he did not require to group his soldiers at specific locations to make a breach in the wall. The wall would come down and every man would make the assault from the position he occupied at that time, which would have the effect of a simultaneous entrance into the city by the children of Israel from all sides. Such an assault would be impossible to resist. The Lord had already told Joshua, “I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor.” (vs. 2) However, the children of Israel still had to take action. The Lord would do what they could not, but they were expected to do what they could. The same is true for a believer serving God today. God does act on His own from time to time and for divine purposes, He reveals His power and intervenes in the lives of His children. However, most of the time, God requires us to do something along side the things He is doing. There are times in the Bible when God sent an angel to wipe out entire armies and the Israelites awoke to find dead corpses, but most of the time God commands Israel to participate. It is never our job to try to do God’s responsibility, however, it is our responsibility to obey God’s clear commands as it relates to our responsibilities.
Personal Prayer Requests:
- Lord, please help me to never neglect my responsibilities as a Christian, husband, father, pastor, or leader. Help me to be content to simply trust and obey.
- Lord, thank you for your work in my life. Thank you for your constant care and love for me.
- Lord, thank you for entrusting responsibilities to me. I realize that you do not need me and that you are gracious to allow me to participate in your program.