Day 7 - January 21/09

Joshua 8

Now that evil has been purged from Israel, God gives Joshua the go-ahead for attacking the land of Ai. Using the previous failure as an advantage, Joshua will lure the opposition out by faking a second retreat, while the rest of the Israelites are waiting in ambush behind the city. God's plan works, of course, and the city of Ai is completely destroyed, along with all its inhabitants. Then they write out the Law of Moses again, and read it aloud to all the people.

When I read this passage, it really makes me think that the Israelites wanted to please God. They had just wandered through the desert for 40 years and were excited to see what He had in store for them in the new land. They wanted to hear His laws and obey them but, like us, sometimes they fell short. I know that sometimes I feel so unworthy of God's love because of how terribly I fall from His commands. Yet somehow, despite it all, He loves me and is still willing to give me the victory once I've come clean before Him. And not only that, He uses the experiences that were bad for the good of the situation. This story is the perfect example of God working all things together for the good of those who love Him. It gets me excited!