March 9th, 2013
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

I Need More Time

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Opening Prayer

Gracious God, in gratitude I praise You for Your watchcare over me and the abundant life You have given me.

Read Joshua 10:1-15

[1] Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel and had become their allies. [2] He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters. [3] So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon. [4] “Come up and help me attack Gibeon,” he said, “because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.” [5] Then the five kings of the Amorites-the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon-joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it. [6] The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.” [7] So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. [8] The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.” [9] After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. [10] The LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. [11] As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the LORD hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites. [12] On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” [13] So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. [14] There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a human being. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel! [15] Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Meditate

“Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15,16).

Think Further

In the previous chapter Joshua foolishly allows himself to be tricked into a mutual defense treaty with Gibeon, which further alarms the other surrounding kings who together plan a preemptive strike against Gibeon. Despite realizing he’d been tricked, Joshua remains faithful to his word and defends Gibeon. Following God’s assurance of victory, Joshua leads his army to an astounding victory where the battle was won not primarily by superior force but by a miraculous hailstorm that inflicts more casualties than does Joshua’s army.

The text now quotes a very bold prayer by Joshua for a miraculous extension of the hours of daylight so that he could complete the huge task he had undertaken. Without in any way denying our belief in God’s miraculous interventions on behalf of Israel, or indeed in the affairs of his people throughout the ages, we need to realize that our record here comes from the almost unknown non-biblical book of Jashar (which is mentioned on just one other occasion in Scripture, in 2 Sam. 1:18). Clearly God intervened in an unusual way, and good commentaries will give you a number of possible interpretations. The important thing is that God made it possible for Joshua to accomplish all that God had given him to do.

Often we cry “give me more time!” What we don’t realize is that if we had more hours to work we would also need more rest. We need to ask ourselves whether we are working to our own program and schedules and for our own ego rather than God’s plan. One reason why Jesus achieved so much in his short life is that he knew not only what he was called to do but also what he was not called to do, though he was not legalistic about this (Matt. 15:24).

Apply

Sometimes God prolongs his patience so we can accomplish his will. Can you think of a time when he did it for you? How could you use your time even more wisely?

Closing prayer

Lord, help me to trust that there’s always enough time for me to do what You want me to do. May I use my time wisely.

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