Daily Reading & Prayer

Keep Walking

April 8, 2024
Joshua 6:14 “So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.”
Isaiah 55:8-9 “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’”

Think

Do you ever want things to go exactly as you've planned? Maybe you're someone who loves holding on to control, holding on to that metaphorical map tightly. Sometimes, we even try to dictate to God, laying out our plans and hoping he'll just agree. Yet, as I walk this journey with God,I'm learning that his plans are sometimes different than ours.

In the book of Joshua, we witness Joshua and the Israelites facing a monumental challenge: the towering walls of Jericho blocking their path to the Promised Land. Imagine the discussions in their camp as they stared at those imposing walls. Everyone must have had ideas on how to overcome this obstacle. But God didn't seek their opinions –  even Joshua's; instead, he demanded unwavering obedience to a battle plan that defied logic—a plan involving no actual battle, but, instead, days of marching. 

What inspires me about the Israelites is not just their initial obedience, but their perseverance. Despite seeing no immediate change, they continued to march day after day. They didn't stop after several attempts; they trusted God's promise and kept moving forward.

It's not easy to persist when we don't see instant results or when God's ways seem unclear. Yet, like the Israelites, we must choose faith over sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) and hold on to God's promises (Hebrews 10:23).When God assured Joshua of victory, it wasn't based on their strategies but on their steadfast obedience.

I don’t know the challenges you're facing today or the unconventional steps God is asking you to take, but I urge you to keep going. Trust in God's plan, even when it seems illogical. Our victory isn't determined by our understanding but by our commitment to follow him. God is working behind the scenes, and his promises remain faithful, even in uncertainty.

Apply

Read Hebrews 10:23. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.“ Remember God's promises when times get tough, and keep moving forward in obedience, knowing that he is working behind the scenes for your ultimate victory.

Pray

Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding me your ways are higher than mine and your plans are always for my good. I confess that there are times when I struggle to understand your ways. When life's challenges seem overwhelming or when your instructions seem unconventional, give me the strength to choose obedience over my own understanding. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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