Joshua 6:15-17
On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, "Shout! For the LORD has given you the city! The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the LORD.
Our house has been listed on the market for approximately four weeks without any bites. It's been a bit discouraging to tell you the truth, and we're finding it difficult to remain patient and to trust in God.
Earlier this week, a colleague had asked me if we've had any luck selling our house. I jokingly said, "Not yet although we may need to march and pray around the house 7 times."
On Wednesday night at band practice we talked about moving when God says move. You don’t wait. You don’t process it. You don’t ask your wife. You move. Simple as that. That really stuck with me because so many times I say I’ll pray about something…or I’ll need to think about it before I act on something God is clearly telling me to do.
So yesterday, Logan is out in the garage helping me put away my lawnmower and tools. He asked me about my day and I said it was “good.” “What made it a good day, Daddy?” he asks, which clearly catches me by surprise. Logan had a rough day and really needed some Daddy time so I took the time to tell him about my day.
“So Diane is your boss?” He asks. I confirm. “Mommy’s boss is Josh,” he responds. “Yeah, but I like to call him Joshy,” I say to him with a smile. “I like to call him Joshua,” Logan says without blinking. “Joshua, as in the guy who marched around the city 7 times, then they blew their horns and the walls came down.”
“Woah. Did he really just say that?” I think to myself.
“Logan, how would you feel about walking around our house 7 times and praying for it and our family?” I ask wondering how he’ll respond.
I could barely keep up. He was blazing a trail around the house and several times I had to tell him to slow down so I could keep up. He started throwing out some cool stuff while we prayed and marched around our home. “Evil and bad stuff is not welcome here! Go away devil! We wanna be free!”
Then the last lap we laid hands on the house and prayed for it and blessed it. When it was over, I held him and prayed over him. It was really a blessing. We went inside and told Erin about our 7-lap adventure around the house. Her eyes got big and she said, “Boys, we need to blow our trumpets outside! C’mon let’s go!” Logan led the charge and was outside before the rest of us. Before we knew, he was yelling at the top of his lungs, “In the name of Jesus, we bless this house!”
And for that moment in time, we stood indignant before the Lord and blew our trumpets. We all made trumpet noises and then put our hands in together for one more big cheer. I’m sure we frightened the neighbors but who cares. Who cares!
Later that evening when the boys were snuggled into their bed, our friend Joshua stopped over. I hadn't realized he was coming, and I probably haven't seen him for a couple of months. Was his timing coincidental? I don’t think so. It was God-ordained.
One thing's for sure...if we do move, you can bet we're gonna march around the house seven times praying for it before we move in.
Thanks for the affirmation and for speaking to us this week, God. We love you!
Amen.
3 comments:
Erik!
What a great story! A lesson for all of us who want to listen better to our Father. A lesson for me as a father to take more time to listen and talk to my children.
Thanks for sharing.
Cool story.
We have had and are having similar struggles with adoption process, as I've shared at practice a few times.
A year and a half ago God's purpose was so clear and he was moving in big and obvious ways. We have been 'waiting' ever since. Hearing Scott talk on Sunday about Jesus quieting the storming and then calling the disciples on their lack of faith was very convicting. During our quiet time on Sunday I read about Abraham. God called him to take all of his possessions and his family and go to Canaan and there he would make Abraham a great nation. When Abraham got to Canaan there was a severe famine. I'll bet he was scratching his head. "Some promise," he must have been thinking. "Guess it was the pizza talking, God wouldn't put me in this situation". This pattern plays out over and over in the bible.
Jesus is baptized and God declares him to be his son and is well pleased with him. Then Jesus is immediately sent into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. It's a test of some kind. It has forced me to look back and recognize all of the ways and times that God has delivered and how thankful I am that I had to wait until just the right moment.
Thanks for the story.
Great story! Proud of your boy pulling his scripture from memory and putting it to work. We couldn't sell our house last summer, and it was all part of God's plan. The wife got ill, and couldn't home school any more, so the kids are 5 min. from public school. I'm 3 miles from wk, which is cool at 32 mpg in my saturn. God said no. We didn't hear it, but it was obvious later that he was watching out for us the whole time.
Best to you all the same, I'm adding you as a link
Jim in SW Missouri
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