Recently I wrote a series on lessons from Joshua. Today, guest blogger Rachel Lovingood shares another lesson from this fabulous book in the Bible, and the man for whom that book is named.
Longest day ever…Have you ever wished that you could freeze time and just continue to live in this day or that one? I was just reading in Joshua 10 and came to verses 9-14. I was blown away again by the faith of Joshua and the way that he expected so much more from God than just the ordinary. In the midst of fighting a battle against the Amorites, the Bible tells us that Joshua said to the Lord in front of others “Stand still sun” and the sun stopped in the middle of the day and delayed going down about a full day. Not kidding—read it for yourself.
Now, I have had days where I felt like maybe someone had put a hold on the sun because they just never seemed to end, but never have I asked for something that big to happen in front of others and seen it occur right then.
Here’s what I’m wondering. Do you and I as leaders in ministry ever get too comfortable or too complacent to the point that we have stopped expecting big things from God?? You know—He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Our God is huge and He is extremely powerful but do we really live like that? Do we tell people that God can do anything yet we don’t really ask Him and believe Him for what we need?
Here’s my proposition. What if we led like Joshua. With a faith that says “Let’s go for it” and “If God calls us to do this then nothing, absolutely nothing will stand in our way”. You can never expect more than God has the ability or power to do. Let’s refuse to box God in so we can understand Him better and let’s raise the roof on our expectations.
What do you need to believe God for? What obstacle seems overwhelming to you? Who is coming against your service for the Lord? He is bigger and He is stronger—let’s live like we believe that.
Rachel Lovingood is the Next Generation Pastor’s wife and a women’s leader at Long Hollow Baptist Church, Hendersonville, Tennessee, as well as a LifeWay Ministry Multiplier. She co-authored the Bible study for ministers’ wives, In Our Shoes: Real Life Issues for Ministers’ Wives by Ministers’ Wives. She uses her passion for Christ, her energetic style and her sometimes crazy sense of humor to encourage and teach women to find the answers they need from the only true source of wisdom—the Bible. She is a wife (of a minister), a mom (of three fantastic kids), a friend, a writer, and a teacher. Her experiences working in youth ministry as well as women’s ministry in various churches across the country have developed in her a deep love for women and a mission to help enable them to live victoriously in spite of the struggles they face. Read more on Rachel’s blog here.
Resources:
Called to Be God’s Leader: How God Prepares His Servants for Spiritual Leadership, Henry Blackaby & Richard Blackaby
Women Reaching Women