Monday, October 30 – Joshua 10:1-2

Now it came about when Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had captured Ai, and had utterly destroyed it (just as he had done to Jericho and its king, so he had done to Ai and its king), and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were within their land, that 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 mighty.

 

Evidence is an essential part of any case. Pieces of evidence don’t tell us what to do, but they point us to what happened and leave us to decide what to do about it. The king of Jerusalem consulted the evidence about what had happened around them—the people of Israel were taking over the surrounding areas. Instead of seeing this evidence as a warning to fear God and submit to His authority, the king of Jerusalem dug in his heels, determined to go against God and His people.

 

All around us, God is at work. The question is what we will do with the evidence we have been given. Does the thought of God working in the lives of His people seem oppressive to us, or do we find it freeing and seek to be used for His glory? Do we want to make our own definition of success for our lives, or will we trust His?

 

Determining what we want to do with our lives often sounds easier than asking for God’s guidance, but in the end, we are the ones who miss out. Romans 8:28-29 says, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” Paul went on, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?” (v. 31). We don’t have to be afraid of His power but can live in joyful submission to Him.

 

• If you are honest, what scares you about God’s power?
• What makes it difficult for us to submit to God’s definition of success?
• Pray and ask God to help you trust in Him rather than yourself.