Justin Tucker, LHBC Worship Pastor
Joshua 6:2-5
And the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.”
Your promise still stands
Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
I’m still in Your hands
This is my confidence
You’ve never failed
Is anybody else but me ready to see warmer weather begin? For some people, summer can’t get here fast enough. For our girls, the interrogations have already begun, “When can we go swimming at Peep’s and Poppy’s house?” They love the pool. They love everything about it. They love throwing every pool toy or float that my parents own in the pool, aka playing fetch with me. They love eating every fruit known to man that Peep’s will cut up. They love the popsicles. They love floating around in their floaties, shooting water guns, playing with cousins…all of it. Maybe I’m a little biased but I think one of their favorite things to do is jump off the side of the pool into my arms. They could take turns for hours. Jump, catch, swim to ladder, repeat…x’s 3.
Last year we started working with Ruby Jo, our 5 year old, on swimming without floaties. She was so scared. She would hang to either Michele or me or the ladder for dear life. Eventually, we got her to jump in and doggy paddle to us in the center of the pool and then we would walk beside her as she swam to the ladder to do it again. Over and over, for hours, every time we went to the pool we would go through this process. Jump, swim, swim back, climb out, do it again. This year, I’m hoping we finally conquer the swimming pool because Ellie is right behind her and we get to do it all over again with her.
I know how frustrated Ruby Jo would get every time that we would make her repeat the process of jump, swim, swim back, climb out, repeat and I can only imagine how frustrated the Israelites felt as the walked and walked around the city of Jericho. I think the frustration usually comes from not being able to see the win in. The Israelites couldn’t see how they were going to take a city by walking around it for 7 days. I get it, it sounds crazy, right? The thing is…God had a longview for the Israelites and all he required of them was to be obedient. They march for 7 days, blow horns and shout, and on the seventh time on the seventh day…the walls fell! God proved Himself faithful through a miracle. Miracles only happen when the people of God are obedient and trust God to do what only He can do.
What does that mean for us today? Glad you asked. When was the last time that you walked around the strongholds that are in your life and let God do what only He can do? It’s hard, I struggle with things in my life. There are things that I need to walk around until the soles fall off my shoes but I’ve got to keep walking. We can’t get up because we can’t see the end. We can’t give up because we don’t understand. We have to keep walking in obedience with the Lord, we have to keep trusting the Lord because He never fails. So, let’s put on some comfortable shoes and take another lap. Or in our context…jump in, swim, swim back, climb out, repeat.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
God, thank you for your faithfulness. Forgive me for the times that I get frustrated and give up. Forgive me for not trusting in Your perfect plan. Teach me to just keep walking. In Jesus’ name, amen.
MEMORY VERSE FOR THE WEEK:
Hebrews 6:19- We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain