Can you hear the noises? Can you even fathom the awesome sight of the priest marching and marching each day? What were the people of Jericho thinking? Can you hear the loud jeering? Can you imagine the earth rumbling as the walls of Jericho fell?
Do I dare say that I wish that God would command us in the same way today? Would you obey? If we want to be available to God’s voice and be obedient in every way, our relationship with God must be perfectly in tune. Joshua was listening and ready to hear God’s voice. I look around my limited world and I can hear the voices of so many things shouting in my face — television, radio, angry people, well-meaning people, society. How can we as believers stay in tune with only that which God wants us to hear from him? It takes effort and intention. Joshua was intentional in his life. We must be intentional in our lives in order to hear the voice of God.
Notice also in this passage that God uses a prostitute to play an amazing part in this miraculous act. Do you wonder why that fact is mentioned several times? I find it refreshing that God uses the lost and very lowly to accomplish his work. Rahab believed because she had seen and heard of the strength of God when parting the Jordan River. She fully understood that she needed God’s protection.
Let’s pray intentionally for God to show us his magnificent power today and pray that we will be listening and waiting for his voice to be heard in our lives. God wants us to live wholly for him. There are so many distractions for our minds, hearts and time. Make it a priority today to examine the things in our lives that might keep us from being used in a mighty way by our God.
Karen E. Lawson
Extended Scripture: Joshua 5–6
