Joshua 8:1a Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged….”
It must have been humbling to be personally encouraged by the LORD after a resounding defeat that was your own doing. But the LORD tells us that “…as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). Still, my tendency is to wallow in my failure instead of ponying up the humility to say, “I messed this up big time, Lord, and I’m sorry.”
Joshua 8:1b “…Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai….”
Joshua 7 dealt with getting right with God. By Joshua 8, God has turned the page. He encourages Joshua for the battle and victory ahead. If God can separate us from our sins in that manner, it seems even more selfish and sinful for us to cling to our own shortcomings instead of humbly confessing. Help me, Jesus.
Joshua 8:1c “For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land.”
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for the reminder to humble ourselves before You when we stumble, to get right with You, then to move forward instead of castigating ourselves for our failures and shortcomings. Help us to humble ourselves before You, so that we can receive Your mercy and grace. Draw us closer. Amen.
Joshua 8:2 “You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and it’s king, except you will carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves….”
Have a blessed day.
My faith, my life, my teaching–it's all a work in progress.