Dia dhuit readers! (That’s hello in Gaelic). I’m not sure
how many of you have read the book Radical by David Platt, but if you are
looking for a good, challenging book I highly recommend this one. I have read
it 4 times and each time God speaks to me differently. The past few days Jenna
and I have been planning some big events for our ministry here. I was beginning
to feel inadequate for the job God has asked me to do. Truthfully, some days
feel impossible.
I know some of you are feeling that way. Feeling like life
is just too hard, God has called you to do something that is just too big, or
he is asking you to give up too much.
But here is the thing…. It’s not about you. Harsh I know. Sorry about
that, but it’s true. You see, when we are at our weakest and it feels like too
much, that is when God is at His strongest. In the words of David Platt…
“In direct contradiction to the American dream, God actually
delights in exalting our inability. He intentionally puts his people in
situations where they come face to face with their need for him. In the process
he powerfully demonstrates his ability to provide everything his people need in
ways they could never have mustered up or imagined. And in the end, he makes
much of his own name.
Consider
the story of Joshua outside Jericho ,
a strong city with massive walls surrounding it. Certainly Joshua was anxious
about leading the people of God in his first battle as commander. I can only
imagine the sense of inadequacy he felt as he contemplated the task before him.
That’s why,
at the end of Joshua 5, we see him alone, wondering about the combat that lies
ahead. But suddenly God appears. In that moment God promises Joshua that his
side will win the battle, and he gives Joshua the plans.
You can
almost picture Joshua as he listens, thinking, What will it be? A frontal assault? A trick of some kind? Or just lay a
siege and starve them out?
Put yourself
in Joshua’s shoes as you hear these battle plans:
March
around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven
priests carry trumpets of rams horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day,
march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you
hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud
shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every
man straight in.
Let’s be
honest. That’s weird. If you’re Joshua, you’re wanting a second opinion at this
point.
Why did God
design this battle plan for taking the first city in the Promised Land? Don’t
miss what God was doing. He was divinely orchestrating the events of his people
so that in the end only he could get the glory for what would happen. Read the
rest of Joshua 6, and you will see them take the city of Jericho just as God had outlined. But notice
carefully what you don’t see. You don’t see all the Israelites going up to the
trumpet players and telling them what an incredible job they did that day. I
can almost hear them now: ‘Abashi, I’ve never heard you play that well.’ ‘Nimrod,
when you hit the high C, that was beautiful, man.’ No, instead you see the
people of Israel
realizing that only God could have done this.
This is how
God works. He puts people in positions where they are desperate for his power,
and then he shows his provision in ways that display his greatness.”
Today, if you are feeling overwhelmed and unsure how you
will accomplish the big tasks in front of you, that’s GREAT! This means that
God is going to work through you just like he worked through Joshua. Get ready.
