A Strange Direction
It is no doubt that we are faced with choices when we follow God. Some of His directions are easy to do, some are harder and require a more active focus to complete. However, often it seems as if these are the only two ways that God’s direction occurs for the believer. It is either an easy choice to follow or a challenge. But what about the directions that may seem impossible or even ridiculous? One such example comes to mind and can be found in Joshua 6.
“ Now Jericho was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel; no one went out and no one came in. 2 But the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have handed Jericho over to you, with its king and the valiant warriors. 3 And you shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. 4 Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, 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 ahead.””
Joshua 6:1-5
God’s people were told to walk around a city in a circle for seven days, if they did this then after the seventh day the city would be handed over to them. To anyone else, this command might seem as if God was attempting to make a mockery out of His people. How could simply walking bring down a wall? And yet, through their faith that God would hold to His promise, Joshua and the people followed through with this strange direction.
If you are not familiar with this event, the result can be found in Joshua 6:20, “So the people shouted, and the priests blew the trumpets; and when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, everyone straight ahead, and they took the city.”
The people had nothing to go off of except for the fact that God upholds His promises, even the strange ones that at the time seem as if they will result in nothing. So why is this reminder important? While we might not be asked to walk around a city, God may still be leading us in strange paths. What He wants us to do, might seem impossible. If you are faced with God asking you to do something that seems as if it is impossible, I ask that you remember this event. If God can bring down a wall, He will accomplish the task He has set before you. All you need to do is keep moving and see how God will uphold His promise!
Seek the truth and encourage one another,
Alex