I found it amazing, that soon after a valiant victory, Joshua and the Israelites face bitter defeat at the battle of Ai, such that they were totally shattered -"At this the hearts of the people melted and became like water. "(Joshua 7:5). The reason for their defeat was, disobedience. Achan had disobeyed and kept the spoils from the previous battle (Joshua 7:1). Joshua cried out to God after this defeat and God told him it was due to disobedience.
Lesson:I am assessing this in my own life, times of my defeat have been times when I was being disobedient to God. However , we have a forgiving God who takes away our sins the moment we confess them and refrain from repeating it. No matter how big the sin is, God is willing to forgive. He wants us to be continually under His protection and guidance and be forever victorious. Its like a mother telling her child, "don't play with the knife, you'll get hurt". If we don't listen and do get cut, a good mother will never throw her child away, but will lovingly bind up the wounds and put balms for healing the cut.
Our Father in Heaven says
in Isaiah 49:15
"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget, I will not forget you!"
Such is our Father, so lets go to Him and not run away from Him, in bitterness or rage over our own fruit of disobedience. Lets run to our Daddy and ask Him what to do. He waits to hear us.
3 comments :
wow...i just have to say that i've seen the verse Isaiah 49:15, three times within the past two days in my devotional reading being used with the same type of theme!
recently i have been struggling with my disobedience and it sometimes causes me to run away from Him. actually more often than not, but lately i've been running to Him, sometimes right after my disobedience.
i appreciate your words cuz they speak to me where i'm at right now. just this morning i had to remind myself that there is victory in God, that the enemy has already lost and that He does forgive and He's wants me to succeed.
what a great revelation :) thanks for sharing. God bless u my dear.
Dear uncommon1 and tinywings, Thank you for being an encouragement(much needed)...God is wonderful, what an amazing God we serve. He has never let me down and I am so grateful to God for sending me encouragement through you. God Bless you both to make you a blessing beyond you. May God's blessings overtake you.
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