Thursday, February 24, 2011

Joshua 10:1-15; What is Amazing

Not only did Joshua keep his promise of peace with the Gibeonites but he marched to their aid as an ally. If that is not somewhat surprising, then the fact that God sent a hailstorm to assist the Israelites should be impressive. Yet, the most amazing fact of this story is the sun and moon standing still in the sky. With all my science background I would love to explain that but I can't. God did something inexplicable that day. However, as mind-boggling as that is, the comment on it is more fascinating still. "There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a human being."

What the Jews found amazing was not that God could make the sun and moon stand still but that God would listen to the petition of a human! Of course he can make the sun do what he wants, he is God. If he created the world, then surely he can control it. The action of stopping the sun seemed to fall within the realm of what divinity does. It is the listening to a human that does not sound very divine. God did something proposterous because a human asked it. How un-god like.

Think of all the things we send up to God in prayer. I want a happy life, a better job, to win the game. I want to pass the test, be safe and get a pony for Christmas. When you think about it, much of what we ask for is ludicrous and quite selfish. Even when we are on our best behavior we still offer up selfish prayers, e.g., bless me, take care of my friend, etc. Are they prayers that further his influence? Are they prayers about what is best for his reputation or that facilitate his will to be done? Yet, there are moments when a prayer is blatantly answered, selfish or not. And we must stop and recognize that God just responded. That is still an amazing thought. That the creator of the world would listen to me does not seem like something a creator would do. That the one who is so much more advanced than me would care about me enough to respond to a selfish petition is inexplicable. That is what the comment in this chapter says as well. Loosely translated it could read, "Who cares if the sun stood still; the amazing thing is that the creator listened to a human!"

It is still an amazing thought. When the absurdity of it is contemplated, then it makes me ashamed of my petty petitions I often call prayer.

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