Today's readings are Joshua 6.6-27 and Acts 10.18-33.
How do we do at keeping our promises? More importantly, how does God do at keeping His promises? Today the people of Israel take the city of Jericho. God, being a God of order, not confusion, does it a little differently than most of us would do it. We would probably want to charge the walls, beat on them or on the gates until we got an opening, flood into the city, kill everyone in sight, and take everything for our own profit. That's pretty much standard procedure for overthrowing a city. God has different ideas though. He instills discipline in his people as they march around the city blowing trumpets but not yelling or acting threatening themselves. This goes on for days. Then when it is time, God himself knocks down the walls. There's no question about who does it. The people of Israel don't even touch the walls to enter the city. While most of the inhabitants of Jericho perish, those people to whom the spies made a promise – the family of Rahab – are spared. And notice the plunder. Some things are destroyed, some things are saved for the treasury of God. Nothing goes to the invaders individually. God is orderly. On this occasion he has said the fighters themselves are not to profit, and they don't.
What has the Lord ordered in our day? Be assured that, just as He was able to bring the Israelites into Jericho, He is able to bring us into the right situations this day. Just as He was able to protect and forgive Rahab and her family, through Jesus God protects and forgives those who believe on Him. Just as He was able to supply the needs of His people without their taking the plunder, He is able to give us this day our daily bread. That's the kind of God we have.
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Dave Spotts
blogging at http://capnsaltyslongvoyage.blogspot.com
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