Last week we looked at God’s ways and how they really don’t match up with ours. He has a weird way of doing things that goes against what we understand or expect. A city was brought down by an army marching around it and blowing trumpets. A prostitute was used as a way to protect spies and was later grafted into God’s family, into the very line of Jesus.
From these strange beginnings Joshua and the people of Israel have started their trek into the promised land. They have set up monuments to remind them of what the Lord has done. They have heard stories from their parents of how God brought His people out of Egypt and how He parted the Red Sea. But now they’ve actually seen the mighty hand of God at work:They watched Him dry up the Jordan river so that they could cross into the land of Canaan. They ran into Jericho and took control as the walls fell.
They God’s faithfulness with their own eyes as He did just what He said He would do–fight for Israel and give them the land promised to Abraham. These things served as a diving board for Israel to believe God’s word in the days and months to come.
At the end of Joshua 10 a long list of battles and conquests flow one into the other. Kings and people are defeated as Israel pushes further into the land. They start in Makkedah and Joshua does “just as he had done to the king of Jericho.” From there they move on to Libnah and again Joshua does just as he had done to the king in Jericho. At the next stop, the king of Lachish was destroyed just as the king of Libnah. And from here, each new conquest is reflecting back on the previous victory. Just as Joshua did in the last victory, he does to the current opponent.
By the end of chapter 10 Israel is looking at a long list of victories “because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel” (v. 42).
That passage got me thinking about the long list of victories the Lord has accomplished in my life, the many times He has been faithful to lead me through. He brought healing to our family; He paid my way through college without debt; He restored my relationship with my sister after several rough years; He brought us back to Kentucky; He provided the funds and the time for us to take a trip back to California to visit family and friends we hadn’t seen in years. And the list goes on with so many acts–small and mind-blowingly large ways God proved Himself faithful.
All these accounts of His previous faithfulness give me hope for the days to come. They give me hope that God will come through in this hard thing, this small thing, this thing I’ve waited for, this thing I’ve struggled with. When I begin to doubt, when I wonder if God’s even listening, I remember where He’s brought me from and I can’t help but smile.
He was faithful then and I can trust that He’ll be faithful now.
Other voices come in, though, people trying to be helpful or logical–my own voice often trying to barge in and say that it’s crazy to trust God for this, or there’s no possible way it could happen. But that’s when God speaks to my heart and reminds me of the truth:
“I know the plans I have for you, Jazmin. These other people love you, yes, but they don’t know you like I do. They don’t see the path ahead like I do. And neither do you. I know it seems crazy impossible. I know it’s frustrating and at times it seems easier to just give up the whole crazy idea. But trust me. I will do it. Just like I said. And it will be beautiful. And this too will become a monument of my faithfulness like all of those other seemingly impossible things before, reminding you that I am trustworthy and I always stay true to my word. I will always come through.”
Oh dear heart, latch on to that truth today. Whatever hope is trying to take hold of you heart and is telling you to trust Jesus and His word, grab hold of it tightly. Hang on with everything that you are. And when it becomes too painful to hope anymore, let Jesus hold you. Because He is faithful.
He will always do what he says.
You can trust him.
Even for that thing–that one thing that holds and hurts your heart. He will do it. Just trust. And trust me, He’s done far more impossible things than that one thing on your heart. If He is able to take the sin of the entire world, give His life, rise again, and restore all who believe to Himself, He can do this too.
Don’t lose hope, dear heart.
God is faithful.
Hold onto hope!
Live in His love!
