Daily Devotions
Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.” Joshua 6:2
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
The salvation story of Jesus Christ reaches around the world. So that the readers of our Daily Devotion may see the power of the Savior on a global scale, we have asked the volunteers of our International Ministry Centers to write our Friday devotions. We pray that the Spirit may touch your day through their words.
In Christ, I remain, His servant and yours,
Kenneth R. Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour
In the early morning, all Israel’s mighty warriors gathered to hear Joshua explain the battle plan for Jericho.
No doubt, some good-intentioned soul had put together a list of all the archers and those who could be counted on to fight valiantly. Possibly others had thought of different war strategies that would assure a victory while incurring a minimum number of casualties.
If that was the case, God quickly set those plans aside in favor of His own: a plan in which He said, “All I need is your faith, seven trumpets, the holy ark and a shout from the people.”
As someone living in a country that has seen its share of conflicts, I can tell you God’s plan is not the kind of strategy that would win Him a promotion in the military.
The plan simply didn’t make sense. After all, how can trumpets bring down military fortifications? To the confused looks he was getting, Joshua countered, “Sure, I know the plan doesn’t seem to make sense, but the Lord told me this is what we should do … and remember He is the Lord of armies.”
You know the rest of the story. You know the people did as God demanded. You know how the “walls came tumblin’ down.” Israel succeeded because they listened to the Lord.
Over the years, I have seen the same thing happen again and again.
Families that allow the Lord’s guidance and directives find themselves far happier than those who think they know best. Individuals whose personal moral code follows God’s commandments find themselves avoiding many foolish errors. Countries which ask for and listen to God’s guidance are not entirely surprised when He gives it.
As for you and me, God wants us to come to Him, ask of Him, listen to Him and implement His ideas. If we do, we’ll be pleasantly pleased to see how many impregnable walls come tumbling down for us, too.
THE PRAYER: Dear Heavenly Father, open our ears and hearts to listen to Your Word. Then, when we have heard, may we do Your will. This I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Biography of Author: Today’s devotion is written by a volunteer at Lutheran Hour Ministries’ office in Lebanon. Beginning in 1950 the Lebanese office continues to use a variety of media tools to bring the Gospel to the Mid-East. Locally produced radio programs deliver Bible studies, meditations with hymns, Bible readings, commentaries and plays to share the Savior’s salvation story.
To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhmint.org.