234. The Lord listened: I called for help, and the Lord listened to my cry.
31 December 2021
Joshua 10
14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!
Jonah 2
2 He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry.”
"God extends the day to maximize Israel’s victory.
Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel:
“Sun, stand still over Gibeon;
And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
So the sun stood still,
And the moon stopped,
Till the people had revenge
Upon their enemies.
Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel.
Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal. Joshua 10:12-15 NKJV
Some wonder how the length of the day was extended. It could have been a slowing of the earth’s rotation; it could have been a tilting of the earth’s axis; it could have been a miracle of reflection of light; it could have been simply the presence of God manifested in light.
However it was done, the result was clear. The sun seemed to stay still in the sky, and Israel was able to complete the victory.
Joshua did not ask God to do the fighting for him, even though God did do some of that. Joshua simply asked that God miraculously give him the opportunity to fight for Him.
Like Joshua, we often wish that time stayed still. We would do well to imitate Joshua’s reasons for extended time. Joshua wanted time to stay still so that:
· God would be glorified.
· God would be obeyed.
· God’s work would be continued without hindrance.
· God’s people would triumph." From enduringword website/bible-commentary/joshua-10/
Joshua prayed for the sun to stand still, that God would be glorified. The Lord listened to the prayer of a human being.
As for us, the Lord be glorified in our prayers, surely He will listen to our prayers. Amen.
Prayer for the New Year in the midst of suffering, to glorify God.
Apostle Paul even spoke of joy and glory, in the midst of severe suffering, because of his love for God and love for others.
1 Thessalonians 2
19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?
20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
Suffering makes us turn to God in prayer. God turns to us in answer to our prayer.
Suffering is testing of faith.
2 Corinthians 1
Praise to the God of All Comfort
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
My Friend, take heart.
Romans 5
3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
The Lord be glorified in the New Year. Lord, hear our prayer.
Happy New Year!!!
"“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’”(Luke 18:13). Lord, listen to my prayer, forgive me for my sins, in Jesus' name. Amen.
5 March 2018"
May you be blessed with God's Word.
Maraming salamat.
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