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We live in a success-focused, does-it-work culture. We are expected by friends, church members, family and society to perform. It is so endemic that we gauge our self-worth by our achievements. But it is not God’s way!
You see, the Bible says, ‘for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.’ Proverbs 24:16
It is not the falling that makes the difference, for we ALL will fall. It is the rising that makes the man! It may not be a positive confession, but you WILL mess up! Even Jesus said ‘In this world you will have trouble...’ Thousands of criminals were crucified, but only one rose from the dead. We will all sleep, but will you rise? YES! If you allow God to take your mess and turn it into your message! Let me take you on a journey of failure, and see how God turned it into success.
The great general
Joshua had, and still has, an awesome reputation as one of the greatest military commanders to have ever lived. But this wasn’t based on the miracle of crossing the Jordan - Moses had done just as great a miracle crossing the Red Sea.
Nor was it based on the bizarre way he led Israel to defeat Jericho. Although a strong city, it was small compared to the huge victories over Og of Bashan, and Sihon king of the Amorites, again under Moses’ leadership!
Those were miracles, yes, but not great feats of strategy. So what was it that set all his enemies trembling in fear, at the same time as awed by his tactical prowess?
The biggest mess
It was the biggest mess that Joshua ever made!!! Ai.
First of all, the victory of Jericho went to his head. He didn’t ask God how to take Ai, but assumed it would be easy. Second, he sent men, instead of going himself, when God had told him, ‘I will give you every place where you set your foot.’ Third, he thought a small force would be enough, and fourth, he didn’t know about Achan’s sin. So he sent a small force to Ai, who were routed. He and the whole of Israel then had a big pity-party!
After they had dealt with the sin (and the pride!), God gave them clear instructions on how to take Ai - set an
ambush! He was to advance on the city, as they had before, and the men of Ai would chase them again, but this time directly into an ambush. Then a third force would move in and take the city.
Now surely ambushes were not a new idea. What was different was that, after Joshua and Israel’s repentance, God so designed the strategy to take Ai that their reputation would be built on their original mistake!
For their enemies knew nothing of Achan’s sins or Joshua’s mess-up! What rumour spread abroad was this - that Joshua had sent a small force who had been chased. Then the next time he repeated the ‘mistake’, only this time he had them trapped! Clearly they understood that Joshua intended the first foray as a decoy. How clever was that! To deliberately lose a battle to win the war! On such ‘brilliance’ are reputations built!
But of course Joshua knew the real truth! No room for pride here, simply great praise for his wonderful, brilliant, forgiving, graceful God!
So when you next mess up, fess up! Tell God all about it, repent, and you will be forgiven. Then get up! Simply obey what the Lord tells you to do, and watch him turn your mess into a message!
After all, isn’t that the testimony of every believer?
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