Thoughts on Christian Living Book #2 by Dr. W. A. Dillard - HTML preview
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SOMEBODY BIGGER THAN YOU OR I
God is infinitely bigger than you or I. The student of the Bible can but stand in awe of His might, and His works. He often uses men to accomplish astounding feats of faith, but it is always in His power, and not in the power of human endeavor alone. Few, very few are privileged to be trail blazers as was Moses of old. So, it is somewhat easier to identify with Joshua as a successor to someone who has gone before us. One can only imagine what burden was in the heart and mind of that great man as he contemplated the looming battle of Jericho. He had led the army of Israel in battles during the 40 years of wilderness wandering, but he always had Moses to look to, and lean on. Now, the ball was squarely in his court. Jericho lay before Israel as the first battle of conquest of the Promised Land. This was big, really big, and it would be no surprise to learn that he could have been feeling mighty small for the task.
Admirably, he sought solitude for contemplation and prayer as the enormity of his responsibility pressed heavily upon him. It was in that environment that something quite unexpected happened. There appeared before him a person with a drawn sword. This led Joshua to question the character before him as to whether he was for Israel or an enemy from Jericho. The answer he received brought gladness and huge relief. The stranger said, βNay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.β Joshua 5:14-15.
As it was marvelous to Joshua, so it is to the people of God today. We are not alone! God gives us great and mighty things to accomplish, and we often wonder how we are going to get them done. The survey of strength, resources, and wit are too often turned inward on self. Let it be remembered that only God can do the work of God. People are instruments in His hand, blessed to be used by Him, but it is God who clears the way. It is God Who empowers His Word. It is God Who works on human hearts, and it is God who gives the increase. If the increase is elusive or seems more insignificant that it should, it just may be that we have not yielded ourselves to the Captain of the Host of the LORD! His way is not our way, but it always accomplishes just what He wants done. He should be explicitly trusted in every endeavor, in confronting any obstacle. He is infinitely bigger than you or I.
FOR THOUGHT: How remote is God to your daily life? The captain of the host of the LORD expects you to trust Him in your conflicts of life as
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