LIVING Outside the Box
MOST OF US WOULD like to learn to think “outside the box” of our own understanding, but not Joshua. He knew how to LIVE outside the box. He knew first hand how creative God is.
OVER AND OVER AGAIN THE WORDS “be strong and courageous” are repeated in the Book of Joshua. It seems living in the presence of God is not for the timid.
IF DOING WHAT WE DON’T UNDERSTAND is at the heart of living creatively, I think Joshua, a warrior-leader, was one of the most creative men in the Bible. I admire his absolute faith, but more than that, I admire his obedience.
CONSIDER FOR A MOMENT how the battle against Jericho was fought. What general would instruct an army to lay siege to a walled city by simply having the soldiers and priests bearing rams horns silently circle it carrying the Ark of the Covenant once a day for six days? And how about this? On the seventh day have those same soldiers and priests march around the city seven times—this time to the sound of the rams horns and shouting? And all with the belief that the wall would fall flat . . .
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE my own response to such a suggestion. Uh oh. Lord, I don’t think even a sonic boom, much less a bunch of shouting, would put a crack in that wall. Lord, have you noticed that wall’s fortified? An easy fifteen feet thick in places. And, Lord, I’ll bet the men of Jericho are armed. We could lose a lot of men out there. Begging your pardon, Lord, have you thought about that?
BUT NONE OF THAT FOR JOSHUA. This battle plan bore all the signs of a solution from God—even without the appearance of a man with a drawn sword delivering it. It was something Joshua would NEVER have thought of by himself. It seemed doomed to failure. And finally, Joshua knew he couldn’t do it by himself—and it was obvious he wouldn’t have to.
SO, JOSHUA GAVE A GREAT EXAMPLE of what a creative person does—he opened himself to possibility and just did it. Like a sculpture or an artist might.
DID JOSHUA STOP at Jericho? Nope. He asked for other even more improbable solutions—like stopping the sun and moon. He needed a little more sun light to whip those pesky Amorites. Oh, yes! Joshua is proof that there’s no limit to LIVING outside the box.
AND THAT GIVES ME HOPE that my seemingly insolvable problems will be dealt with—in this life or the next—by the One from whom all solutions come.
You’re blessed. Be a blessing.
OVER AND OVER AGAIN THE WORDS “be strong and courageous” are repeated in the Book of Joshua. It seems living in the presence of God is not for the timid.
IF DOING WHAT WE DON’T UNDERSTAND is at the heart of living creatively, I think Joshua, a warrior-leader, was one of the most creative men in the Bible. I admire his absolute faith, but more than that, I admire his obedience.
CONSIDER FOR A MOMENT how the battle against Jericho was fought. What general would instruct an army to lay siege to a walled city by simply having the soldiers and priests bearing rams horns silently circle it carrying the Ark of the Covenant once a day for six days? And how about this? On the seventh day have those same soldiers and priests march around the city seven times—this time to the sound of the rams horns and shouting? And all with the belief that the wall would fall flat . . .
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE my own response to such a suggestion. Uh oh. Lord, I don’t think even a sonic boom, much less a bunch of shouting, would put a crack in that wall. Lord, have you noticed that wall’s fortified? An easy fifteen feet thick in places. And, Lord, I’ll bet the men of Jericho are armed. We could lose a lot of men out there. Begging your pardon, Lord, have you thought about that?
BUT NONE OF THAT FOR JOSHUA. This battle plan bore all the signs of a solution from God—even without the appearance of a man with a drawn sword delivering it. It was something Joshua would NEVER have thought of by himself. It seemed doomed to failure. And finally, Joshua knew he couldn’t do it by himself—and it was obvious he wouldn’t have to.
SO, JOSHUA GAVE A GREAT EXAMPLE of what a creative person does—he opened himself to possibility and just did it. Like a sculpture or an artist might.
DID JOSHUA STOP at Jericho? Nope. He asked for other even more improbable solutions—like stopping the sun and moon. He needed a little more sun light to whip those pesky Amorites. Oh, yes! Joshua is proof that there’s no limit to LIVING outside the box.
AND THAT GIVES ME HOPE that my seemingly insolvable problems will be dealt with—in this life or the next—by the One from whom all solutions come.
You’re blessed. Be a blessing.
posted by Chronic Hope at 4:10 PM
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