January 6 - Joshua 10:1-15

January 6 - Joshua 10:1-15

1 As soon as Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had captured Ai and had devoted it to destruction, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them,  2  he feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were warriors.  3  So Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying,  4  “Come up to me and help me, and let us strike Gibeon. For it has made peace with Joshua and with the people of Israel.”  5  Then the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered their forces and went up with all their armies and encamped against Gibeon and made war against it.

6  And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, saying, “Do not relax your hand from your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the hill country are gathered against us.”  7  So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor.  8  And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you.”  9  So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal.  10  And the LORD threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah.  11  And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the LORD threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword. 12  At that time Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” 13  And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.

Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day.  14  There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD heeded the voice of a man, for the LORD fought for Israel. 15  So Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

 

 So often we want time to stand still and slow down just as Joshua did.  Joshua’s reasons were to glorify God, be obedient, and not hinder from doing what God asked, and we see it resulted in the Israelites experiencing victory.

 

Sometimes we need to slow down and check in on our own motives, actions and attitudes.

 

How am I glorifying God?

Am I obedient to God?

Do I delay seeking and reacting to God’s will?

Decide today to seek God’s will with urgency.  Time is not standing still and we need for our Christian example and witness to be timely.

 

Heavenly Father, so often I find my mind so busy on my “to do” list that I don’t always stop to see what You have on my “to do” list.  I know in my mind Your list is the important one, but how often I jump into my day with simple, routine things rather than checking in with You.  Please forgive me when I am short-sighted.  It isn’t that I even have tons I have to do, I just get my mind going in one direction and I’m going full blast that direction.  It is typically good things I’m focusing on, but that doesn’t mean it is where my focus should be, where You want my attention to be. I’ve spent so much of my life looking at a list of what I need to accomplish.  I love checking those items off my list, but how sad it would be to check off things that truly don’t matter in the realm of things, and never check off those things that make an eternal difference.  Help me, Father, to focus on those things that will matter a hundred years from now, not just getting my checklist done.  I want to glorify You and have lives changed because I was obedient to You.  I know disobedience isn’t always blatant.  I know it can be not doing what You have right in front of me.  Not sharing with You when You prompt me to share.  I know that disobedience comes down to lack of faith.  I believe, help me with my unbelief.

In Jesus’ name.

 

Amen!