December 26 – Joshua 6:1-7
6 Now
Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None
went out, and none came in. 2 And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I
have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor. 3 You
shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once.
Thus shall you do for six days. 4 Seven priests
shall bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark. On the
seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests
shall blow the trumpets. 5 And when they make a
long blast with the ram's horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then
all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will
fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before
him.” 6 So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests
and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear
seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord.” 7 And
he said to the people, “Go forward. March around the city and let the
armed men pass on before the ark of the Lord.”
There are many things going
on in these verses, but the first thing that struck me when I read them was the
fact that Jericho was shut up inside and outside because their enemy was
outside their city walls.
How often do we shut ourselves
up, not only from our enemy, but from each other because of the enemy
outside?
There are many verses that
talk about the fact that our enemy isn’t each other, but Satan, yet we isolate
ourselves from each other because he uses people to hurt us and distract us
from Jesus, therefore we allow ourselves to not get the love and support we
need from each other. It is so ironic
that we lash out and cause pain to those who could help us most.
I know this is a very
different way of seeing these verses, but God gave me these thoughts as I read
these verses, so I know that is what will minister to many today.
What are you allowing the
enemy to keep you from doing today?
Who are you isolating
yourself from today that might need your encouragement?
Who might need your encouragement
today that could require knocking down some big heavy walls to reach them?
Don’t let the enemy’s
walls keep you from those around you.
Heavenly Father, there are
so many walls we put up to protect ourselves and those we love as well. Help me put up the proper walls to keep the
enemy himself away, but remove the walls that are keeping those that love me
away. I know there are many times I get
things backward and put up walls that should be there and don’t put up walls
that can keep me safe from the true enemy.
Thank You for helping me see these verses in a new way today. You are so good to me to open my eyes to new
things in Your word every time I read it with the right, prepared
attitude. You are such an amazing God
and so good to me. Help me remember You
in all I do.
In Jesus’ name.
Amen!
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