By Joshua 9:14 So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD.
How often do you make an important decision without seeking the Lord’s counsel through prayer, the Bible, or through the community of God’s people? Just yesterday I sent off an email trying to accomplish something fairly significant without even a groan of a prayer. A minute or two after I sent the email and was reflecting on the content; I was reminded of my lack of prayer and then brought that before the Lord.
The people of Israel were promised a land flowing with milk and honey. At the time of Joshua chapter 9, they were in their prime of destroying the nations around them and expanding their kingdom. Then, without warning, in strolls a few folks looking like they had been on a journey for a year. The deceivers were from a nation very close but feared they would be killed. They had set off on a short journey with worn out sandals, dry bread, and useless wine skins. They walked into Joshua’s camp pretending to be tired and wanting to make a covenant with the nation of Israel. Joshua listened to their story, believed them, and entered into a covenant with the Gibeonites not knowing it was a nation they were actually called to destroy. Because Joshua knew covenants were so important to the Lord, when three days had passed, and he found out he was deceived; he had no other choice but to honor the convent and disobey the Lord’s command to destroy the Gibeonites. We read in verse 14 the reason this deception came upon the nation of Israel is because they did not ask counsel from the Lord.
The Lord we serve is triune. He is a community in and of himself. He is a personal God who loves to communicate with his people. His desire for you and for me is that we would have a living and vibrant relationship with him through prayer and the Word. His desire is that we would communicate with him about all of life in the same way we might communicate with our best friend if he/she were with us all of the time. Let’s try by God’s grace to always ask counsel from the Lord for all of live’s decisions; both great and small.
(Suggested prayer)
Dear Lord, forgive us for walking through life often forgetting that you are our ever present help in times of need. Forgive us for taking advantage of the truth that you have promised never to leave us or forsake us. Help us to never forget to ask your counsel no matter if the questions of life are great or small. We pray in Jesus name. -Amen
Leading Family Devotions 