This past week I have been focusing on obedience to God in All areas of life. I have been reading through Joshua this week which has some incredible examples of Complete Obedience. Joshua is an incredible example of faith, trust, and obedience in God and everything He will do.
There is one specific example that I have been reading over and over again:
Joshua 7:1-11
“But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things ; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord ’s anger burned against Israel.
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, who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water. Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. And Joshua said, “Ah, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?” The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions.”
This passage discusses the consequences for disobedience. Israel as a people was 100% obedient to God and so God let them overtake Jericho without a single loss. Although when they slipped and kept 1% of there own desires, God was not with them. I feel like I have grown so much in my faith in God, except for the fact that I have not completely surrendered my life to Him. I need to place complete faith and trust in Him and His promise to provide and let go of the ten or twenty percent of my life that I control.
God has taught me this through reading His Word and I need to obey Him.
James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.“
God, help me to give you full control of all of the areas of my life.
To Trust in You.
To have Faith in You.
To Obey You.
James 1:25 “But those who look intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continue in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
-Travis Fish
