Today's Worship: God does not compromise.

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Joshua 7:7-9,

 

"Ah, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?"

 

These are the words spoken by Joshua following Israel's rout at Ai. Today we have the full picture of what took place. Israel was to follow the Lord's commands when they took their first city, Jericho. One man, tempted by his own sinfulness, defied what the Lord told them and it caused Israel to suffer a humiliating defeat at the next city they attacked.

 

Joshua displays a profound remorse over the events of that day. He asks why the Lord brought them across the Jordan if they were going to suffer defeat. I can only imagine Joshua's discouragement following this turn of events on the heels of the celebration of their victory over the much more powerful Jericho. I sense a bit of accusation toward the Lord in Joshua's lament.

 

I can't be too hard on Joshua. Here I sit with a much bigger perspective given me in his account of what happened, which includes further information he will eventually become aware of. But at the time, Joshua couldn't have known that Achan had disobeyed the Lord and brought the Lord's wrath against Israel, preventing their victory at Ai.

 

Some thoughts that occur to me: There are times when things must be done God's way or there will be consequences to pay. We all may have our own free will, but the ability to make our own choices carries with it the consequences of those choices we make. God will call us to account. Another, very sobering thought is that the choice Achan made affected him to be sure, but look at how it affected the whole nation of Israel. It certainly affected the 36 or so Israeli soldiers who perished and their families! None of them were apparently aware of Achan's actions at Jericho.

 

I wonder how my actions affect the lives of others...

 

In any event, the Lord shows himself to be holy and just. There is no compromise with God, no wrinkles in his character and nature. He is entirely consistent and with whatever interaction I have with God, I best recognize that reality.

 

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!

Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com