“Here is our bread. It was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey on the day we set out to come to you, but now, behold, it is dry and crumbly. These wineskins were new when we filled them, and behold, they have burst. And these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.” Joshua 9:12-13
Perhaps you have read the story in the book of Joshua about how the people from Gibeon deceived Joshua and the leaders of Israel to make a covenant with them by carrying worn-out sacks and wineskins, worn-out clothes and patched sandals on their feet to support their claim that they were from a distant country.
Joshua and the other leaders “took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.”Joshua 9:14-15
Because Joshua did not ask counsel from the LORD, Israel made a covenant with them. You can read the entire account in Joshua 9.
When you consider any given day or week in your life, how often do you pursue your plans without asking counsel from the Lord? If we believe God has a plan and purpose for our lives it would make sense to consult Him on our plans.
“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15
Written by Diane Hunt: Diane Hunt serves on the board of America’s Keswick and is the Executive Director & CEO of Changed Choices, a Christian non-profit in North Carolina. She is also a biblical counselor and women’s event speaker. For more information about having Diane speak at your next event please contact her at dhunt@americaskeswick.org.
