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Friday, October 2, 2009

Lessons from Joshua

Yesterday I found myself in Joshua chapter 10 during my time of Bible study. It is a chapter that is both violent and victorious, horrifying yet full of hope. It is in a historical context that is often hard for me to wrap my mind around because of the terrible devastation of war. However, what spoke to my heart time and again was this: GOD fought for His people.

He confused the enemy.

He hurled hailstones from heaven against them.

He listened to Joshua's cry and made the sun and the moon stand still for an entire day. Verse 14 says, "There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a man. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!"

He gave Joshua victory in battle. In the course of one military campaign, Joshua and the Israelites subdued an entire region "because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel" (verse 42.)

I am no Joshua. My enemies are not physical ones but enemies of bureaucracy and apathy and even, I believe, enemies in the spiritual realm. But Joshua's God is my God. So I am asking Him to fight for me, to fight for my family and for my sons, today and throughout the coming days while I am in Haiti. My daily prayer has become: "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!"

Then Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage, for thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” - Joshua 10:25