Silly Stuff
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. – Joshua 1:8-9 NKJV.
Then Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the Ark of the Covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord.” And he said to the people, “Proceed, and march around the city, and let him who is armed advance before the ark of the Lord.” – Joshua 6:6-7 NKJV.
When they combined boric acid and silicone oil it appeared to be a failure, but it did some unexpected and silly things. This silly thing they had created bounced; and even though solid, it flowed like a liquid. Someone named, Peter Hodgson, took this silly thing and packed it in plastic eggs; and then it was marketed in a toy store catalog. Almost 60 years later, we know Silly Putty has made more than $140 million dollars and new uses for this silly stuff are still being discovered. Who would have thought it possible except maybe Peter Hodgson? You can find out more about Silly Putty at http://www.sillyputty.com.
Joshua was asked to do what the world would call a silly thing, conquering of a powerful enemy city with huge walls that had never been conquered in an unusual way. God told Joshua to march around the city each day for six days and on the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times. Then, the priests were to blow the ram’s horns and the people were to give a great shout. The people of Jericho probably thought that was a silly way to conquer them. By the seventh day they were probably laughing each time those crazy Israelites marched by. If they had lawn chairs then, they would have kicked back in their lawn chairs drinking some cool ones while they watched the show. However, when the horns blew, and the people shouted; the walls came crashing down, and no one was laughing any more.
Where did the success of Joshua and the people of Israel begin? It began with what many in the world would say is silly. Their success began with a focus on the Word of God, which was a focus on God. This focus on God allowed them to be fearless in the face of the world’s mockery, and fearless in the conquest of Jericho, and of the giants of the land.
What would happen in your life if you stopped worrying about what people might think, and instead began to focus in on what God wants? You can begin at the same point Joshua began with, God’s Word. From that point onward God will be saying to you as He said to Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
It is time for you to report in, because the Commander of the Lord’s Army has some new orders for you.