“So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.” – Joshua 6:20
We live in an age that routinely sits in judgment on the plans of God, the revealed will of God, and the nature of God Himself. We think it right, necessary, and appropriate to determine which parts of God’s Word, will, and plan “make sense” to us, which seem appropriate for our image of a God of the Universe, and which are “still relevant”. Anything we don’t agree with personally we explain away or rationalize ignoring. Even people who claim to love God tend to pick and choose from God’s Word like someone walking down a long buffet line.
Enough! As we see in the story of the fall of Jericho, our responsibility and right isn’t to question God’s plan and decide whether He makes sense from our perspective. Our responsibility is to respond in faith, simple, childlike faith, and actually do what He says. Sometimes God’s plan makes no sense to us. There may well be aspects of His design with which we disagree. But He is the sovereign Creator of the universe and He operates at a completely different level of understanding than we do!
We need to embrace Him as Lord and when we do, that means actually embracing His design for our lives rather than constantly questioning it. The Israelites had to think God’s plan to bring down the city wall was crazy. But they followed it anyway. Faithful, joyful, confident obedience when we don’t understand is often the test the refines and strengthens our faith. When we obey in faith, rather than constantly critically judging God in reason, we are likely to ultimately realize the wisdom of God and catch a glimpse of His glory. When we obey despite not understanding or agreeing, we will be blessed!