Joshua 7; Psalms 137–138; Jeremiah 1; Matthew 15
A sore toe can slow down and even cripple the entire body. One lie can ruin a relationship. One fool can embarrass an entire family. A weak leader can ruin an entire country. Today God reminds me of the importance of keeping my life clean before Him — and it isn’t about just me.
This story tells of one man who disobeyed God and because of his actions, the people of God lost His favor and the entire congregation lost a significant battle. They were supposed to conquer a place called Ai and destroy everything in it. The battle was won but Achan took some of the spoils of war and hid them in his possession. When Joshua, their leader, anguished before God . . .
The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies because they have become devoted for destruction. I will be with you no more unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. Get up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord, God of Israel, “There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.’” (Joshua 7:10–13)
Achan died for his folly and the people of God moved forward. Can my sin keep an entire congregation from moving forward? Yes, according to this and other historical examples, my sin can affect the spiritual well-being of the church I belong to, even the entire Body of Christ. It can be the “want of a nail” that causes one horse to lose one shoe, and lead to the entire calvary losing the entire battle. Being a Christian is not just about me.
When the Israelites were held captive in Babylon, they wept when they remembered their homeland, their national worship that had been lost. This was not about their individual loss of freedom, even though each person felt great sorrow. The psalmist expressed his feelings in the plural. Their captivity was about all of them as was the importance of what they had lost and what they loved . . .
How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! (Psalm 137:4–6)
The prophets knew they were a small part of a bigger picture and their hearts were broken at what they saw. When God asked one of them to speak to the nation, God had to reassure him that he was not alone in the task he was given:
Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 1:6–8)
It is easy to say, “I’m just a little toe in the Body of Christ” and think my prayers are not important to the victories God has planned. He reminds me of the boy who gave his five loaves and two fish — not much lunch, but it fed thousands. He also reminds me of a famous quote that challenges many and goes something like this: “The world has yet to see what God can do with a person fully consecrated to Him.”
Part of what it means to be fully consecrated is to keep short accounts, to realize that my sin can block the moving of God even in His answering my prayers! Holding on to even the smallest bad attitude can prevent Him using me to speak to, pray for, or really love others. My pride can have me talking about myself instead of concentrating on what Jesus wants me to say. Focusing on what I want always keeps me from glorifying God. It also is a terrible reflection of what being a Christian is all about. For all these reasons, the APPLY part is obvious, not easy at times but important to the advancing of His kingdom never mind to the health and well-being of my own soul.
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