Daily Devotional
"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 7:13
God could have simply destroyed Israel and started over. He could have walked away and left them to figure things out on their own. Instead, He reveals exactly what the problem is and provides clear instructions for how to fix it. This is the mercy embedded in God’s wrath.
When God disciplines His children, He’s not trying to destroy us—He’s trying to restore us. His anger burns against the sin that separates us from Him, but His love never fails toward the sinners He’s called His own. Even in His sternest warnings, there’s always a path back to fellowship.
The word “consecrate” means to set apart as holy. God wasn’t just asking Israel to find the guilty party; He was calling them to examine their hearts and purify themselves. Sometimes God uses the exposure of one person’s sin to prompt corporate repentance and spiritual renewal.
This process would have been uncomfortable and humbling. Tribe by tribe, clan by clan, family by family, they would be examined until the sin was exposed. But this public process served a purpose: it demonstrated that God sees everything, that sin has consequences, and that restoration requires honest acknowledgment of guilt.
The mercy in God’s discipline is that He doesn’t leave us guessing about what needs to change. He exposes the sin clearly and provides specific steps for repentance and restoration. He doesn’t just point out the problem—He points toward the solution.
Today's Challenge
Where in your life has God's discipline felt harsh but ultimately merciful? How has He clearly shown you areas that needed to change? What would it look like for you to "consecrate" yourself; to set yourself apart for His purposes, in response to His corrective love?
Prayer
Father, thank You that Your discipline flows from Your love, not Your rejection. When You expose sin in my life, help me see it as mercy, not cruelty. Give me courage to consecrate myself fully to You, to set aside anything that hinders my relationship with You. Thank You for always providing a path back to fellowship with You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
