Which Way?

Personal life hazard: doing it my way, instead of God's way. There's this tendency for us to push our pre-conceived agenda to God and say "here God, bless it", instead of going to Him with a clean slate and saying "Lord, what would You have me do? How would You have me do it?"

I remember it was Ravi Zacharias who said that (I paraphrase, I can't remember the exact quote) many an unbeliever is willing to go God's way if God is willing to go their way. And worse still, many a believer goes their way and make it look as if it's God's way.

I was revisiting the fall of Jericho in Joshua 6. I'm sure Joshua and the Israelites must have been baffled by what they were told to do in order to bring down the walls of Jericho. Now if we were to conquer a fortified city, how would we do it? Some advanced military strategy or tactic perhaps? Full-blown, head-on assault using brute military strength? Or maybe clever deception (ala trojan horse style)? But no, God instructed them to march around the city once every day for six days. While blowing trumpets. Honestly, it was surely a ridiculous sight.

But here was an important lesson to the Israelites: if they were to conquer Jericho, they must do it according to God's terms, not their own.

And so with each passing day, the same repeated routine probably made the situation more and more absurd. But on the seventh day....seven marches around the city, a trumpet blast and a loud shout later, the walls of Jericho came tumbling down and the city was duly conquered.

If we are to be fruitful for God, we must learn to do it His way, not our way....even if it entails difficulties, sufferings, shame or taking a 'longer route'. This means no shortcuts, and very importantly, the end does not justify the means. In a world that preaches that we must take charge and be in control, the challenge is for us to let God dictate the terms and faithfully commit ourselves to complete obedience to God.

Frank sang "I did it my way." Let's sing a new song: "I did it God's wayyyyyyyyyyyy!"