The Trouble We Get In

       Sometimes we get into trouble because we haven’t asked the right questions to the right people.  Joshua and the people learned this lesson the hard way.  After the victory at Jericho, Joshua sent men to Ai and they talked him into sending just a few thousand men to take the town.  (Joshua doesn’t ask God)  Those Israelis that go back to fight are soundly defeated, some die, and the rest run.  Joshua and elders seek God for help.  He tells Joshua to get off his face, there is sin in the camp and that was why they were defeated.  (Josh. 7)  If Joshua had asked God to start with, I’m sure God would have told him about the problem in the camp. 

       Soon after, Gibeon sent men deceptively to make peace with Israel.  They took great lengths to pretend/ prove they were from very far away when they were only five miles from Ai.  And the men (Joshua and leaders) took of their (Gibeons) victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD. And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them,  (Josh. 9:14,15a)  Israel was told not to make peace with any of the people, (Deut. 7:1,2; 20:16,17) and had they asked the Lord first, He would have told them of the deception or said NO to the treaty.

       It seems to me we are better off when we ask the Lord before we decide to take actions one way or another.  Jobs, relationships, parenting, buying, selling, spending, ministry- serving, are all areas we make decisions usually based on our likes and dislikes, needs and wants as opposed to what the Lord may want for us.  Why not ask first?  It could save us trouble beforehand.

       How does this work in actuality?  Occasionally the Lord will just tell us to make a certain decision out of the blue.  For example, we have a provincial election coming up and the Lord told me (2 weeks ago) to vote for _______.  It came unexpectedly, but there it was and it was my choice to obey or not.  Normally, I know I have to vote so I go to the Lord and say, ‘who do You want me to vote for?’ and He will tell me; or He will not say anything at all in which case I do two things.  1. I use the brain He gave me because that’s what He gave it to me for.  2. I try to base my decision on the Word of God and its Truth.

       When I consider the amount of decisions I make in a day, it is only a small percentage that I actually talk to the Lord about first.  I am trying to increase that amount.  Of interest to me is that some of the things I would normally do are being changed in response.  By asking the Lord, listening and obeying, I am assured His will will be done… and hopefully I will get into less trouble.