God's Way--Joshua 5:13-6:27

I remember an illustration used by a preacher years ago--a young man (much younger than myself) was returning home from a revival at his church. He heard a message on listening to the Holy Spirit and acting on its movements. The man was driving home when he felt the Spirit tell him to get a gallon of milk. He did it, not knowing why. Then, as he was driving the Spirit moved him to go home in a different path. He did it again not knowing why. Then, the Spirit moved on him to stop and knock on a door. He struggled with this one, especially since it was a poorer neighborhood around midnight. He finally did it. As he knocked on the door, a father opened the door and said--"What do you want?" The man held up the milk, and the father began to tear up. The father said, "Thanks, my baby needs milk but we can't afford it right now." The man went home knowing the power of God.

The movement of God is strange to us. God's rational thinking is so much above our own. In that way, I believe that God is neither rational nor irrational in the world's standards--He is God! Read the passage in Joshua. Think about what Joshua was thinking when he was chatting with the Lord.

1. The commander of God's army first states that he is on neither Joshua's side nor the enemies side--he was with God. God does not chose sides like we do in a football game. We must humbly chose to follow God.
2. God's war plan was a little unorthodox. No weapons would be used. The Israelites would march around great city of Jericho.
3. Instead of fighting, the Israelites would use horns and screams on the seventh day.
4. If the follow these instructions, victory would be theirs.

Now, place yourself in the Israelites' shoes. You leader has come to you and said that no weapons would be used, no fighting would be necessary for seven days, and the means of victory was marching around the city with horns. I don't think that sounds rational in the minds of man. We want victory. We want to crush our opponents. But God said no. God, in his rational and logical mind, wanted to remind the Israelites that victory was not something they could do on their own, but only through the power of God.

Now, as we ponder this story and see the great victory God gives, the question now is will you follow the Spirit's call even when it seems weird?

God Bless,

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