Daily Devotional
"So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord."
Joshua 9:14
This single verse captures the heart of Israel’s failure. Despite their recent experience at Ai, where neglecting to seek God led to devastating defeat, and their subsequent victory when they did seek His guidance, Israel’s leaders reverted to relying on their own wisdom. They looked at the evidence, listened to the arguments, and made their decision based on human reasoning alone.
How often do we fall into the same trap? We research, we reason, we analyze, but we forget to pray. We trust our ability to discern truth and make good decisions without acknowledging our dependence on God’s wisdom. The Bible tells us to lean not on our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge Him, yet we frequently rely on our intellect and experience instead.
If they had simply waited three days to make the covenant, they would have discovered the Gibeonites’ true identity. But they rushed into a decision based on incomplete information and surface-level investigation. Patient seeking of God’s counsel could have prevented the entire deception.
Today's Challenge
What decisions are you currently facing where you need to seek God's counsel rather than relying on your own understanding? How do you typically make important decisions?
Prayer
Lord, forgive me for the times I've relied on my own wisdom instead of seeking Your guidance. Help me to slow down and pray before making important decisions. Give me patience to wait for Your direction rather than rushing ahead based on my limited understanding. In Jesus' name, Amen.
