Main Point and Overview:
When life is good, it becomes increasingly easier to ignore God. There is money in the bank. Our kids are achieving in school. Our spouse is happy with us. Life is good, and we don’t need God! Now, we would never say that; it’s just that we start behaving this way. This is the exact trap that Joshua and the leaders of Israel fell into…headfirst! They were coming off of resounding victories over their enemies, and they got careless with their dependence on God. Have you ever been guilty of this mistake? You get some inflated confidence and a false sense of security, and you begin to make decisions without even considering what God would have you to do. I think that we have all been guilty of this mistake at one time or another. Here’s what happened: the nation of Gibeon did not want to be destroyed by the powerful nation of Israel, so they deceived the Israelites by pretending to be from a distant country with little wealth, power, or influence. When this seemingly small and insignificant nation approached Joshua and the leaders of Israel, instead of consulting God in what to do with them, they made their own flawed decision. They disobeyed God’s previous command about making treaties with foreign nations and partnered with the Gibeonites. Have you ever made a poor decision that compounded matters in your life? That is exactly what happened next as the Gibeonites called upon their new allies to protect them from invading armies. Though he had made a poor decision in not consulting God, Joshua showed integrity by keeping his promise, defending the Gibeonites. In an amazing turn of events, Joshua learned that dependence on God over his own perceptions was necessary for victory. He asked for the impossible, and God listened.
When life is good, it becomes increasingly easier to ignore God. There is money in the bank. Our kids are achieving in school. Our spouse is happy with us. Life is good, and we don’t need God! Now, we would never say that; it’s just that we start behaving this way. This is the exact trap that Joshua and the leaders of Israel fell into…headfirst! They were coming off of resounding victories over their enemies, and they got careless with their dependence on God. Have you ever been guilty of this mistake? You get some inflated confidence and a false sense of security, and you begin to make decisions without even considering what God would have you to do. I think that we have all been guilty of this mistake at one time or another. Here’s what happened: the nation of Gibeon did not want to be destroyed by the powerful nation of Israel, so they deceived the Israelites by pretending to be from a distant country with little wealth, power, or influence. When this seemingly small and insignificant nation approached Joshua and the leaders of Israel, instead of consulting God in what to do with them, they made their own flawed decision. They disobeyed God’s previous command about making treaties with foreign nations and partnered with the Gibeonites. Have you ever made a poor decision that compounded matters in your life? That is exactly what happened next as the Gibeonites called upon their new allies to protect them from invading armies. Though he had made a poor decision in not consulting God, Joshua showed integrity by keeping his promise, defending the Gibeonites. In an amazing turn of events, Joshua learned that dependence on God over his own perceptions was necessary for victory. He asked for the impossible, and God listened.
Posted in Devotional