Imaginary thoughts at Jericho, You and 2009

Imaginary thoughts at Jericho, You and 2009

Refer to Joshua 6: The Destruction of Jericho

I want to re-visit battle at Jericho but this time I will take the liberty of inserting some thoughts that may have been held at the time. I want us to place ourselves at Jericho on the morning of the 7th day at about the time of the 6th round of marching around the city of Jericho.

First thought: I am tired.

I imagine that there would have been persons among Joshua’s army that felt tired. They might have seen themselves as being overwhelmed by fatigue. Some may have thought that they really needed to stop and rest. Continuing this march right now may not have seemed possible to some.

As we look at our lives at the start of 2009, some of us may be feeling tired. We have been putting our shoulders to the wheel and right now we are just tired. We are overcome with fatigue. We just want to stop and rest for a while. Continuing our march at this time is truly challenging. We need a break, a chance to recoup our energies. This march is proving to be too much for us.

This is not uncommon. Sometimes, we get battle weary. We feel burnt out. We lose the desire to push on and our bodies cry out for us to stop and rest. We just do not seem to be able to pull it together. We fall into some kind of a slump and getting out of it is difficult.

In some instances, we may even manifest symptoms of illnesses that reinforce the fact that we feel unprepared to move forward.

The problem is that sometimes resting is not a viable option.

Prov 6: 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep— 11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.

Resting at the time of the 6th encircling of Jericho would have frustrated the plan and led to failure. There are times when we have to endure physical discomfort including overcoming fatigue and even illness in order to achieve our objectives. Success is often based on our capacity to have our minds control our bodies. When our bodies say “No”, our minds have to say “Go”.

Instead of embracing a philosophy that says that the mind is willing but the flesh is weak we ought to adopt the stance that we keep our bodies under subjection.

1 Cor 9:24 Striving for a Crown
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Brethren, as we move into 2009, it is important that we recognize the fact that we have to take charge of our physical state. Our bodies must serve us and not the reverse. This has implications for how we treat our bodies and how we prepare them to work for us.

The control of our bodies relates not only to issues of fatigue. Self-control is a critical component of success. Anyone who follows blindly the desires and cravings of the flesh is running the risk of producing disastrous results. When we are driven by the desires and dictates of the flesh we are exposing ourselves to grave danger.

We need to pay special heed to an effective regime of diet, exercise, rest, recreation and spiritual devotion so that are bodies can perform at the level that we need. There is not much point in talking about mind over body when you have allowed the body to be run down and in disrepair. Like Paul, we have to discipline our bodies and bring them into subjection.

So, we want to take away from imaginations at Jericho the need for us to avoid being bogged down or sidetracked by our physical state – real or imagined. This has direct implications for preparing our bodies to perform in peak state. It also means that we have to be strong mentally and be in control of our bodies.

The second imaginary thought from Jericho is “What am I achieving here?”

Having marched around Jericho once per day for the last 6 days and 5 times already this morning, what are the results?
Are there any signs of success? Can I pick up any cracks in the walls of Jericho? Is there any sign that the inhabitants are about to surrender?
Sometimes as we continue along life’s challenging journey we pause to ponder about the journey. We wonder what fruit it will bear. We seek urgently to find some hint that we are on a path that will lead to some success.

We tend to hang our hopes and aspirations on this quest for a sign. When no signs appear and this is linked to feelings of tiredness, it is easy for frustration to enter the picture. “After all my efforts I have nothing to show for it and there is no reason to believe that things are going to change for the better any time soon.”
In that moment the chances of a mental and physical shut down are great. The sense of fatigue is now accompanied by feelings of futility. Going forward at that time is particularly challenging.

Some of us might be at or very near to this point of frustration today. You know the energy that you have expended and you feel it in your body. Yet, when you look around the path that you are treading, there are not many signs that bring hope and good cheer. What lies ahead appears to be particularly challenging…only now you have low energy and you are drained physically and mentally.

Friends, that is the point at which many people cave in or implode. They are just not able to rise above the situation. The beauty is that as Christians it is in precisely those moments that we can call up on one of the many blessings that are to be found in Christ.

“When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed, When you are discouraged thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one and it will surprise what the Lord has done.
Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly and you will be singing as the days go by.”

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

2 Cor 1: The God of All Comfort
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. 8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.
9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favour granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

God knew that if Joshua and his people obeyed Him and persevered victory would be theirs. He knew how imminent their success was. In the midst of your frustration and even despair God knows what He has in store for you. Deliverance and success might be a lot closer than you can even imagine.

Your responsibility is to be obedient. Do what God would have you to do. Let that dictate your actions and not your physical or even questioning mental state. It is really not about you. Hard as it sounds, this is bigger than you. This is about God and His purpose for your life.

It is that understanding that allows Christians to rise up to the challenge. It is this understanding of God’s providence that equips Christians to resist the temptation to get downhearted and frustrated and instead to move forward with confidence while others falter. No matter what 2009 looks like for you at this time, when you put your trust in God and walk in accordance with His will, you are able to overcome physical fatigue and the temptation to doubt.

Rise up Christian brethren and maximize the opportunities that are open to you. Victory is at hand even if you can’t see it just yet. Success is guaranteed when you commit it all to God and are obedient to His will. Step forward in faith and make 2009 your best year yet!

The third imaginary thought is “I have no idea where this is going. I am tired and miserable, but I am going to go along. Is there a better alternative? In any event, I back these people to come through”

Some of Joshua’s throng might have had doubts and may have been fatigued but decided to follow Joshua nevertheless. When they contemplated the alternatives, they figured that staying the course was the smart thing to do.

You might be between a rock and a hard place. You recognize your situation and feel the pain and discomfort that comes with it. There is great pressure to throw your hands up in the air in frustration or to find some way to run away from the situation. On closer examination, however, it might become clear that giving up or running away are not realistic options. Sticking to the game plan and moving forward in faith is the answer.

Some of us have stuff hanging over our heads for weeks or months or years. We would want nothing better than to have that stuff disappear. Oh, to be freed from this burden!

Yet, the reality is that we have to continue along the path….painful and frustrating though it may be. We have to take charge of our physical being and subject it to the disciplined pursuit of our objective. We WILL do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done and in the manner that it needs to be done.

This is not the time to falter or to crave rest. Now is the time to march bravely forward to claim the victory that is assured in Christ.

A fourth imaginary thought is: “I am ready for this. I want to be on the front lines. I am so excited about this that I could hardly sleep last night. Let’s do this!”

Some of Joshua’s crew might have been totally supportive and committed to the process. They would have been thrilled to be a part of the action and their enthusiasm would have been evident to others. They would have been an encouraging sign to others. Their presence and attitude would have lifted the spirits of many.

You may be sitting here and thinking that your personal situation is not really of crisis proportions. Things might not be great but you are moving along and coping. Yes, there are things that you would like to accomplish and changes that you would like to see. But in the overall scheme of things you are not too uncomfortable.

At the other end of the spectrum, you are facing genuine challenges. There are pressing matters that you have to deal with. There are hard problems that are camped at your doorstep.

Whatever your situation today, you are called upon to march. As part of God’s army we are called to press forward to claim the victory. The message to you is that when the march is on we all have to keep in step. This is not a time for letting up or slacking off or giving up or for being crippled by doubt and fear or being hampered by complacency.

We are marching in Christ’s army and we represent God. When we represent God, we are called to do our very best for Him, continually. We have to strive to be the best we can be for God. We have to set aside our limited goals and vision. We need to operate on a grander scale. We need to ask, seek and knock with renewed purpose so that we achieve great things in Jesus’ name.

In 2009, we all have to broaden our horizons. We need to dream bigger dreams and dare much with God as our provider, protector and guide. We have to give account for the talents that we have been given. Let us ensure that we all produce excellent results – individually and as a congregation. It is not about us…it is about God and His will for our lives.

Once again, Christians arise and claim the victory. Let 2009 be a spectacular year for you. Commit all your plans and activities to God and be obedient to His will. The fall of Jericho followed obedience and perseverance. Your victory is assured if you too will obey and persevere.

Obedience includes following God’s plan to rescue you from the condemnation of death for your sins that is the lot of all persons. The plan for your salvation starts with your hearing that God sent Jesus His Son to be crucified and resurrected from the dead to pay the price for sin.

You must believe this to be true to the point that you are willing to change your outlook and decide to make serving God your top priority and purpose in life. You must also be willing to let people know that Jesus is Lord of your life. You must also be baptized in water for the forgiveness of your sins and continue to be obedient to the will of God as outlined in the Bible.

If you have not yet obeyed this simple plan of salvation now is the time. Get a head start on 2009 by being in Christ and being able to enjoy all the blessings that are in Christ.