Skip to main content

Strategy

             There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord. (Proverbs 21:30-31)

 

Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. 

 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, (Joshua 7:2-4)

 

It’s Sunday morning as I write this, and if you read my comments on my “Rest, Relaxation…” post, you’ll know that I’m struggling this morning. I suspect I’m a tired child who is determined to stay awake, and therefore I’m cranky. It’s supposed to be my day of rest, and the last things I want to do are nothing and rest. Echoes of Genesis 3 bounce through my mind. A whole day without accomplishing and doing? The idea is painful to the ego.

Yesterday’s post comes to mind as well. The enemy’s goal – take and destroy. The passage from Joshua also comes to mind. He didn’t ask God about the taking of Ai. It was just a little town. And disaster followed. What if he had asked God? Could the defeat have been prevented? But what if he had asked God, and then gone off and done what he (Joshua) “knew” to be better?

God says “rest.” God calls me to spend time with Him. But I want to accomplish. When I think about resting, even that becomes an activity to master, something I’m doing to prove myself. In other words, “Did God say, ‘Rest’?” Did God forbid me accomplishment today? But, those new valences will look nice… but I have a book to edit … but I have books to read… I want to take up my weapons against God. How dare He tell me to spend time with Him, not exercising my control over my little corner of the universe? How dare He interfere with my plans?

This is the point of battle, and we have a choice. We can either lay it before God and do as the Master Strategist commands, or we can go off on our own – and face the consequences. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Saved?

  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ” (Matthew 7:21-23) Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” (Romans 3:4)   What conclusion do you draw when someone who was raised in a Christian family and church, perhaps even playing a significant role in a chur...
Post a Comment
Read more

Meditations of the Heart

  May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm19:14)           As I started writing this post, I noted that the meditations of my heart are all over the mental landscape, from a hub where eight superhighways come together to a lunar or nuclear landscape. Do you see my error? The moment I read the word meditation , I think about thoughts. But what’s described here is the meditations of our hearts ; our wills.           While the meditations of our minds may be all over the place, the meditations of our wills tend to be a little more stable by the time we are adults. We no longer tend to want to pursue the ten separate careers we did in any given day as children. Part of this is humble acceptance of reality. We come to understand that we can’t do it all. I think another part of it is disappointmen...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Shepherd!

                 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep . (John 10:14) God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (Genesis 3:14) The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths     for his name’s sake. Even though I walk     through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil,     for you are with me; your rod and your staff,     they comfort me. (Psalm 23:1-4) For the Jews, it was politically incorrect to make claims about yourself as a teacher (or possibly as anything else.) Teachers were expected to take pride in the...
Post a Comment
Read more