Joshua 9:3-10:43 / Luke 16:19-17:10 / Psalm 83 / Proverbs 13:4
One phrase from Joshua 9:14 grabbed my attention as I read today. “So, the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the LORD.” As a result of not asking the Lord for His wisdom, Joshua and all of Israel were deceived by the people from Gibeon. Once they had given their word and made an oath, even though they were deceived, they were bound to keep their commitment.
The people were angry with their leaders and the leaders were left with trying to “clean up a mess”. Their solution was to make the people of Gibeon their slaves, making them cut wood and carry water. Now they had foreigners living among them who were probably going to influence them in worshiping other gods. What a mess they were in now.
How many times have you barreled ahead in a decision without asking God for wisdom? Probably as many as I have – too many to count with your fingers and toes. That leaves us with two choices. We can either beat ourselves up over the mistakes of our past, or we can learn from them and remember to ask God for His input going forward.
This is what I’m attempting to become better at doing (among many other things). Even the smallest decisions without God’s guidance can be disastrous. I remember a time many years ago when I was purchasing a used car. I had the choice between two vehicles. One was a prettier color, but I had a sense I should purchase the other one. I went with the pretty color and the engine was blown within a few weeks. It was then I realized I should have listened to that small voice trying to guide me.
What’s even more interesting about this story is this was a time in my life when I had walked away from my faith, but God was still speaking to me because He loved me!
Even in the mess Joshua had created by not asking for God’s opinion, God still helped them defeat the enemies around them. There were some consequences that came with the deal – they now had to defend Gibeon when 5 other armies came against them. What was not their problem before had now become their problem.
We are free to make whatever decisions we’d like. And we can make them with or without God’s help. But when made without God’s help, many times there is “sorrow” added to our decision. Proverbs 10:22 It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it.
God wants to bless us – even in our imperfection – and He wants to bring us joy in the blessing. Next time you have a choice or decision to make, ask God for His input. Not only does He have something to say on every topic, He loves to hear your voice as you approach Him!
