Have you ever been a situation where you were overwhelmed and seeking the Lord? Was there a time where His wisdom was the only answer? When our daughter was struggling in school as a seventh grader, we were overwhelmed with the problem. After a time of seeking the Lord, we began to look at the different options and the Lord guided us to place her in an on-line Christian school. Over the course of the school year the difficulties we faced as parents were minimized. We were thankful for the Lord’s guidance.
Israelites Neglected to seek the Lord before the Battle of Ai
After their great victory over the city of Jericho the Israelites did not consult the Lord before they attacked the smaller community called Ai. Instead of an easy victory the Israelites were stunned when they were defeated. Their failure to seek the Lord had significant consequences.
Joshua 7:2 Joshua sent some of his men from Jericho to spy out the town of Ai, east of Bethel, near Beth-aven. 3 When they returned, they told Joshua, “There’s no need for all of us to go up there; it won’t take more than two or three thousand men to attack Ai. Since there are so few of them, don’t make all our people struggle to go up there.”
4 So approximately 3,000 warriors were sent, but they were soundly defeated. The men of Ai 5 chased the Israelites from the town gate as far as the quarries, and they killed about thirty-six who were retreating down the slope. The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away. [1]
How do I Seek the Lord?
Seeking the Lord is as easy as praying and asking the Lord for His divine guidance as we read in James 1:5. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.[2] As we face these choices, the Bible assures us that God wants us to seek Him and turn to Him for the guidance we need. Then, we need to trust Him to guide us.
Today, make a commitment to pray about every situation you face, to be guided by God’s Word, to be sensitive to His Spirit, and to trust Him.
To learn more about seeking the Lord, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/seeking-the-lord-changes-my-life-joshua
[1-2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.