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Aug 23, 2022 18:30pm

God’s Way

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My way is always right… right?

I can get pretty particular about the order of things, how they should be done and saying “well, that’s not what I would do.” Because apparently, my way is always right.

Right?

The way to load the dishwasher, organize the cans on the shelf, decorate the tree, how to stack the Tupperware, I’m most certain that my way is best. But then comes along someone who does a task and when they are finished, I realize, wow, that works great! Or that looks amazing!

Maybe my way isn’t always right.

Joshua and the children of Israel receive instructions on how to defeat Jericho. I can only imagine what’s running through their minds as they wait for Joshua’s orders.

“I think we should storm through the front with a battering ram!”

“I think we should sneak through the water drains into the city and surprise them.”

“I think we should build ladders and climb our way over the top.”

And then the word of the Lord came.

“And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.” (Joshua 6: 3-5)

Say what?

March around the city once a day for six days blowing the horns. Then, on the seventh day, march 7 times and blow the horns and then shout and the walls will fall flat?

Can you imagine what was going through the minds of the people?

I can just hear it now. “That’s not the way I would do it.”

But Joshua, who has met the Lord face to face, follows the instructions of the Lord and prepares the people to do the same.

“And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city. And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD. So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.” (Joshua 6:12-20)

When the people followed the Lord, no matter how unorthodox it seemed, it happened exactly as God said it would. The walls fell flat! That had to have been a sight to see!

I find myself trying to tell God often how I think things should go. I have a plan and, of course, I think my way is best. But as events unfold and the Lord tosses my plan out the window, I can either get mad and run or I can recognize who He is and choose to follow Him, even if I think it sounds a bit crazy.

I’ve been there recently. Pack up and move. Everything you’re a part of is about to change. The things that you think give you purpose and make up your identity are stripped away and all that’s left is to rely on the Lord. I was resistant at first, if I’m being honest. But then one day, in the sanctuary of this new church, I just said, “Lord, I surrender”. I will trust in you even when I don’t understand.

What are you facing today? Has the Lord brought you to a place that you just don’t quite understand His plan? Does it seem crazy? Does it look like it just doesn’t make sense?

Will you still trust Him?