My Help Comes From the Lord

GETTING STARTED

Every now and then in our church staff meetings, we will share how we see God at work in and through our church. It is so encouraging to hear about the lives that are being impacted by the message of Jesus Christ through his people. I remind our team that sometimes we need to lift our eyes up from our desks, computers, and to-do lists to be able to see God at work. Sometimes, with our eyes down, all we can see is the stuff we have to deal with each day. It is a great exercise to lift up our eyes and see what God is doing.

  • How do you find yourself missing out on seeing God at work?

READ THE WORD: JOSHUA 5:13-15 (ESV)

13 When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” 14 And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” 15 And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

DIGGING DEEPER

  1. Why would Joshua think that the man before him might be an adversary?
  2. What does the presence of the commander of God’s army tell you about who would really be fighting the battle for the Israelites?
  3. Joshua was making plans to lead the Israelites into battle against the Canaanites. How must he have felt when he realized God would fight for him?
  4. Joshua was preparing for war. Based on that, what answer do you think he was expecting from the question he asked of the commander of the Lord’s army (vs. 14)? Rather than a battle plan, why might it have been important for Joshua to continue to worship by acknowledging that God was present and working?
  5. Where in your life do you need God to fight for you? Do you trust that he will? Why or why not?

RESPOND TO GOD

Joshua approached this imposing man with a drawn sword and confronted him, showing great courage. When he realized he was before the commander of the Lord’s army, he worshipped, and when he learned he was on holy ground, he obeyed and took off his shoes.

When our eyes are down and we look at things from eye level, we have a tendency to focus on the challenges right in front of us. God wants us to lift our eyes, look to him for all of our needs, and trust that he will fight for us. Then, like Joshua, we can approach life’s challenges with courage, worship, and obedience.

“I lift my eyes up to the hills, from where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2).

  • Take some time and reflect on what God has done in your life.
  • Pray that God would give you eyes to see where he is working in your life, and ask him for courage, worship, and obedience.